Orthogonal double dipole cancer therapy treatment beam scanning apparatus and method of use thereof

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for scanning charged particles in a cancer therapy system, comprising the steps of: (1) providing a first and second dipole magnet system and a gap, the gap comprising a common gap length, along a path of the charged particles, within both the first and second dipole magnet systems, the gap comprising a progressively increasing x/y-plane cross-section area from an entrance area of the charged particles into the double dipole magnet system to an exit area of the double dipole magnet system, the x/y-plane perpendicular to a z-axis from a center of the entrance area to a center of the exit area; (2) scanning the positively charged particles along a first axis of the x/y-plane using the first dipole magnet system; and (3) scanning the positively charged particles along a second axis of the x/y-plane using the second dipole magnet system.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/838,072 filed Dec. 11, 2017, which is a continuation-in-partof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/823,148 filed Nov. 27, 2017,which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/467,840 filed Mar. 23, 2017, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/402,739 filed Jan. 10, 2017, which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/348,625filed Nov. 10, 2016, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/167,617 filed May 27, 2016.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to a cancer therapy treatment scanningapparatus and method of use thereof, such as for imaging and/or treatinga tumor.

Discussion of the Prior Art Cancer Treatment

Proton therapy works by aiming energetic ionizing particles, such asprotons accelerated with a particle accelerator, onto a target tumor.These particles damage the DNA of cells, ultimately causing their death.Cancerous cells, because of their high rate of division and theirreduced ability to repair damaged DNA, are particularly vulnerable toattack on their DNA.

Patents related to the current invention are summarized here.

Proton Beam Therapy System

F. Cole, et. al. of Loma Linda University Medical Center “Multi-StationProton Beam Therapy System”, U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,287 (Sep. 26, 1989)describe a proton beam therapy system for selectively generating andtransporting proton beams from a single proton source and accelerator toa selected treatment room of a plurality of patient treatment rooms.

Problem

There exists in the art of charged particle cancer therapy a need forsafe, accurate, precise, and rapid imaging of a patient and/or treatmentof a tumor using charged particles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to scanning a charged particle beam in acharged particle cancer therapy system, such as for imaging and treatinga tumor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

A more complete understanding of the present invention is derived byreferring to the detailed description and claims when considered inconnection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer tosimilar items throughout the Figures.

FIG. 1A illustrates component connections of a charged particle beamtherapy system, FIG. 1B illustrates a charged particle therapy system,and FIG. 1C illustrates an extraction system;

FIG. 2 illustrates a tomography system;

FIG. 3 illustrates a beam path identification system;

FIG. 4A illustrates a beam path identification system coupled to a beamtransport system and a tomography scintillation detector; FIG. 4Billustrates an x-axis ionization strip detector; FIG. 4C illustrates ay-axis ionization strip detector; FIG. 4D illustrates a kinetic energydissipation chamber; FIG. 4E illustrates ionization strips integratedwith the kinetic energy dissipation chamber; FIG. 4F illustrates analternating kinetic energy dissipation chamber-targeting chamber; FIG.4G illustrates a beam mapping chamber; FIG. 4H illustrates beamdirection compensating chambers; FIG. 4I, FIG. 4J, and FIG. 4Killustrate a beam state determination system; and FIG. 4L illustratesthe scintillation detector rotating with the patient and gantry nozzle;

FIG. 5 illustrates a treatment delivery control system;

FIG. 6A illustrates a two-dimensional-two-dimensional imaging systemrelative to a cancer treatment beam, FIG. 6B illustrates multiple gantrysupported imaging systems, and FIG. 6C illustrates a rotatable conebeam;

FIG. 7A illustrates a process of determining position of treatment roomobjects and FIG. 7B illustrates an iterative position tracking, imaging,and treatment system;

FIG. 8 illustrates a fiducial marker enhanced tomography imaging system;

FIG. 9 illustrates a fiducial marker enhanced treatment system;

FIGS. 10(A-C) illustrate isocenterless cancer treatment systems;

FIG. 11 illustrates a gantry counterweight system;

FIG. 12 illustrates a counterweighted gantry system;

FIG. 13A illustrates a rolling floor system with a movable nozzle, FIG.13B, a patient positioning system, FIG. 13C, and a nozzle extensiontrack guidance system, FIG. 13D;

FIG. 14 illustrates a hybrid cancer-treatment imaging system;

FIG. 15 illustrates a combined patient positioning system-imagingsystem;

FIG. 16A illustrates a combined gantry-rolling floor system and FIG. 16Billustrates a segmented bearing;

FIG. 17 illustrates a wall mounted gantry system;

FIG. 18 illustrates a floor mounted gantry system;

FIG. 19 illustrates a gantry superstructure system;

FIG. 20 illustrates a transformable axis system for tumor treatment;

FIG. 21 illustrates a semi-automated cancer therapy imaging/treatmentsystem;

FIG. 22 illustrates a system of automated generation of a radiationtreatment plan;

FIG. 23 illustrates a system of automatically updating a cancerradiation treatment plan during treatment;

FIG. 24 illustrates an automated radiation treatment plan developmentand implementation system;

FIG. 25 illustrates a linear row beam scan progression;

FIG. 26 illustrates a random beam scan progression;

FIG. 27 illustrates change in beam diameter;

FIG. 28 illustrated beam drift;

FIG. 29 illustrates a systematic treatment error;

FIG. 30 illustrates beam dithering;

FIG. 31 illustrates non-edge start progression scanning;

FIG. 32 illustrates day-to-day beam scan pattern variation;

FIG. 33A and FIG. 33B illustrate decreasing and increasing beam energyas a function of time, respectively;

FIG. 34 illustrates a beam energy adjustment system;

FIG. 35 illustrates a beam energy interrupt system;

FIG. 36 illustrates a multiple energy treatment system;

FIGS. 37(A-C) illustrate voltage differences across a circulation beamgap;

FIG. 38 illustrates a particle bunch distribution tightening system; and

FIG. 39A illustrates an expanding beam path, FIG. 39B illustrates ahollow core winding; FIG. 39C and FIG. 39D illustrate multiple windinglayers;

FIG. 39E illustrates multiple truncated rounded corner truncated pyramidsections; FIG. 39F and FIG. 39G illustrate an orthogonal double dipolescanning system; FIG. 39H illustrates a truncated pyramid chamberthrough which charged particles traverse; and FIG. 39I illustrates ahollow core winding cooling system.

Elements and steps in the figures are illustrated for simplicity andclarity and have not necessarily been rendered according to anyparticular sequence. For example, steps that are performed concurrentlyor in different order are illustrated in the figures to help improveunderstanding of embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for steering chargedparticles, such as in a cancer therapy system, comprising the steps of:(1) providing a first and second dipole magnet system and a gap along apath of the charged particles both: (a) within the first dipole magnetsystem and (b) within the second dipole magnet system, the gapcomprising a progressively increasing x/y-plane cross-section area froman entrance area into the double dipole magnet system to an exit area ofthe double dipole magnet system, the x/y-plane perpendicular to a z-axisfrom a center of the entrance area to a center of the exit area; (2)steering the positively charged particles along a first axis of thex/y-plane using the first dipole magnet system; and (3) scanning thepositively charged particles along a second axis of the x/y-plane usingthe second dipole magnet system.

The above described embodiment is optionally used in combination with aproton therapy cancer treatment system and/or a proton tomographyimaging system.

The above described embodiment is optionally used in combination with aset of fiducial marker detectors configured to detect photons emittedfrom and/or reflected off of a set of fiducial markers positioned on oneor more objects in a treatment room and resultant determined distancesand/or calculated angles are used to determine relative positions ofmultiple objects or elements in the treatment room. Generally, in aniterative process, at a first time objects, such as a treatment beamlineoutput nozzle, a specific portion of a patient relative to a tumor, ascintillation detection material, an X-ray system element, and/or adetection element, are mapped and relative positions and/or anglestherebetween are determined. At a second time, the position of themapped objects is used in: (1) imaging, such as X-ray, positron emissiontomography, and/or proton beam imaging and/or (2) beam targeting andtreatment, such as positively charged particle based cancer treatment.As relative positions of objects in the treatment room are dynamicallydetermined using the fiducial marking system, engineering and/ormathematical constraints of a treatment beamline isocenter is removed.

In combination, a method and apparatus is described for determining aposition of a tumor in a patient for treatment of the tumor usingpositively charged particles in a treatment room. More particularly, themethod and apparatus use a set of fiducial markers and fiducialdetectors to mark/determine relative position of static and/or moveableobjects in a treatment room using photons passing from the markers tothe detectors. Further, position and orientation of at least one of theobjects is calibrated to a reference line, such as a zero-offset beamtreatment line passing through an exit nozzle, which yields a relativeposition of each fiducially marked object in the treatment room.Treatment calculations are subsequently determined using the referenceline and/or points thereon. The inventor notes that the treatmentcalculations are optionally and preferably performed without use of anisocenter point, such as a central point about which a treatment roomgantry rotates, which eliminates mechanical errors associated with theisocenter point being an isocenter volume in practice.

In combination, a method and apparatus for imaging a tumor of a patientusing positively charged particles and X-rays, comprises the steps of:(1) transporting the positively charged particles from an accelerator toa patient position using a beam transport line, where the beam transportline comprises a positively charged particle beam path and an X-ray beampath; (2) detecting scintillation induced by the positively chargedparticles using a scintillation detector system; (3) detecting X-raysusing an X-ray detector system; (4) positioning a mounting rail throughlinear extension/retraction to: at a first time and at a first extensionposition of the mounting rail, position the scintillation detectorsystem opposite the patient position from the exit nozzle and at asecond time and at a second extension position of the mounting rail,position the X-ray detector system opposite the patient position fromthe exit nozzle; (5) generating an image of the tumor using output ofthe scintillation detector system and the X-ray detector system; and (6)alternating between the step of detecting scintillation and treating thetumor via irradiation of the tumor using the positively chargedparticles.

In combination, a tomography system is optionally used in combinationwith a charged particle cancer therapy system. The tomography systemuses tomography or tomographic imaging, which refers to imaging bysections or sectioning through the use of a penetrating wave, such as apositively charge particle from an injector and/or accelerator.Optionally and preferably, a common injector, accelerator, and beamtransport system is used for both charged particle based tomographicimaging and charged particle cancer therapy. In one case, an outputnozzle of the beam transport system is positioned with a gantry systemwhile the gantry system and/or a patient support maintains ascintillation plate of the tomography system on the opposite side of thepatient from the output nozzle.

In another example, a charged particle state determination system, of acancer therapy system or tomographic imaging system, uses one or morecoated layers in conjunction with a scintillation material,scintillation detector and/or a tomographic imaging system at time oftumor and surrounding tissue sample mapping and/or at time of tumortreatment, such as to determine an input vector of the charged particlebeam into a patient and/or an output vector of the charged particle beamfrom the patient.

In another example, the charged particle tomography apparatus is used incombination with a charged particle cancer therapy system. For example,tomographic imaging of a cancerous tumor is performed using chargedparticles generated with an injector, accelerated with an accelerator,and guided with a delivery system. The cancer therapy system uses thesame injector, accelerator, and guided delivery system in deliveringcharged particles to the cancerous tumor. For example, the tomographyapparatus and cancer therapy system use a common raster beam method andapparatus for treatment of solid cancers. More particularly, theinvention comprises a multi-axis and/or multi-field raster beam chargedparticle accelerator used in: (1) tomography and (2) cancer therapy.Optionally, the system independently controls patient translationposition, patient rotation position, two-dimensional beam trajectory,delivered radiation beam energy, delivered radiation beam intensity,beam velocity, timing of charged particle delivery, and/or distributionof radiation striking healthy tissue. The system operates in conjunctionwith a negative ion beam source, synchrotron, patient positioning,imaging, and/or targeting method and apparatus to deliver an effectiveand uniform dose of radiation to a tumor while distributing radiationstriking healthy tissue.

For clarity of presentation and without loss of generality, throughoutthis document, treatment systems and imaging systems are describedrelative to a tumor of a patient. However, more generally any sample isimaged with any of the imaging systems described herein and/or anyelement of the sample is treated with the positively charged particlebeam(s) described herein.

Charged Particle Beam Therapy

Throughout this document, a charged particle beam therapy system, suchas a proton beam, hydrogen ion beam, or carbon ion beam, is described.Herein, the charged particle beam therapy system is described using aproton beam. However, the aspects taught and described in terms of aproton beam are not intended to be limiting to that of a proton beam andare illustrative of a charged particle beam system, a positively chargedbeam system, and/or a multiply charged particle beam system, such as C⁴⁺or C⁶⁺. Any of the techniques described herein are equally applicable toany charged particle beam system.

Referring now to FIG. 1A, a charged particle beam system 100 isillustrated. The charged particle beam preferably comprises a number ofsubsystems including any of: a main controller 110; an injection system120; a synchrotron 130 that typically includes: (1) an acceleratorsystem 131 and (2) an internal or connected extraction system 134; aradio-frequency cavity system 180; a beam transport system 135; ascanning/targeting/delivery system 140; a nozzle system 146; a patientinterface module 150; a display system 160; and/or an imaging system170.

An exemplary method of use of the charged particle beam system 100 isprovided. The main controller 110 controls one or more of the subsystemsto accurately and precisely deliver protons to a tumor of a patient. Forexample, the main controller 110 obtains an image, such as a portion ofa body and/or of a tumor, from the imaging system 170. The maincontroller 110 also obtains position and/or timing information from thepatient interface module 150. The main controller 110 optionallycontrols the injection system 120 to inject a proton into a synchrotron130. The synchrotron typically contains at least an accelerator system131 and an extraction system 134. The main controller 110 preferablycontrols the proton beam within the accelerator system, such as bycontrolling speed, trajectory, and timing of the proton beam. The maincontroller then controls extraction of a proton beam from theaccelerator through the extraction system 134. For example, thecontroller controls timing, energy, and/or intensity of the extractedbeam. The controller 110 also preferably controls targeting of theproton beam through the scanning/targeting/delivery system 140 to thepatient interface module 150 or a patient with a patient positioningsystem. One or more components of the patient interface module 150, suchas translational and rotational position of the patient, are preferablycontrolled by the main controller 110. Further, display elements of thedisplay system 160 are preferably controlled via the main controller110. Displays, such as display screens, are typically provided to one ormore operators and/or to one or more patients. In one embodiment, themain controller 110 times the delivery of the proton beam from allsystems, such that protons are delivered in an optimal therapeuticmanner to the tumor of the patient.

Herein, the main controller 110 refers to a single system controllingthe charged particle beam system 100, to a single controller controllinga plurality of subsystems controlling the charged particle beam system100, or to a plurality of individual controllers controlling one or moresub-systems of the charged particle beam system 100.

Example I Charged Particle Cancer Therapy System Control

Referring now to FIG. 1B, an illustrative exemplary embodiment of oneversion of the charged particle beam system 100 is provided. The number,position, and described type of components is illustrative andnon-limiting in nature. In the illustrated embodiment, the injectionsystem 120 or ion source or charged particle beam source generatesprotons. The injection system 120 optionally includes one or more of: anegative ion beam source, a positive ion beam source, an ion beamfocusing lens, and a tandem accelerator. The protons are delivered intoa vacuum tube that runs into, through, and out of the synchrotron. Thegenerated protons are delivered along an initial path 262. Optionally,focusing magnets 127, such as quadrupole magnets or injection quadrupolemagnets, are used to focus the proton beam path. A quadrupole magnet isa focusing magnet. An injector bending magnet 128 bends the proton beamtoward a plane of the synchrotron 130. The focused protons having aninitial energy are introduced into an injector magnet 129, which ispreferably an injection Lambertson magnet. Typically, the initial beampath 262 is along an axis off of, such as above, a circulating plane ofthe synchrotron 130. The injector bending magnet 128 and injector magnet129 combine to move the protons into the synchrotron 130. Main bendingmagnets, dipole magnets, turning magnets, or circulating magnets 132 areused to turn the protons along a circulating beam path 164. A dipolemagnet is a bending magnet. The main bending magnets 132 bend theinitial beam path 262 into a circulating beam path 164. In this example,the main bending magnets 132 or circulating magnets are represented asfour sets of four magnets to maintain the circulating beam path 164 intoa stable circulating beam path. However, any number of magnets or setsof magnets are optionally used to move the protons around a single orbitin the circulation process. The protons pass through an accelerator 133.The accelerator accelerates the protons in the circulating beam path164. As the protons are accelerated, the fields applied by the magnetsare increased. Particularly, the speed of the protons achieved by theaccelerator 133 are synchronized with magnetic fields of the mainbending magnets 132 or circulating magnets to maintain stablecirculation of the protons about a central point or region 136 of thesynchrotron. At separate points in time the accelerator 133/main bendingmagnet 132 combination is used to accelerate and/or decelerate thecirculating protons while maintaining the protons in the circulatingpath or orbit. An extraction element of an inflector/deflector system isused in combination with a Lambertson extraction magnet 137 to removeprotons from their circulating beam path 164 within the synchrotron 130.One example of a deflector component is a Lambertson magnet. Typicallythe deflector moves the protons from the circulating plane to an axisoff of the circulating plane, such as above the circulating plane.Extracted protons are preferably directed and/or focused using anextraction bending magnet 142 and optional extraction focusing magnets141, such as quadrupole magnets, and optional bending magnets along apositively charged particle beam transport path 268 in a beam transportsystem 135, such as a beam path or proton beam path, into thescanning/targeting/delivery system 140. Two components of a scanningsystem 140 or targeting system typically include a first axis controller143, such as a vertical control, and a second axis controller 144, suchas a horizontal control. In one embodiment, the first axis controller143 allows for about 100 mm of vertical or y-axis scanning of the protonbeam 268 and the second axis controller 144 allows for about 700 mm ofhorizontal or x-axis scanning of the proton beam 268. A nozzle system146 is used for directing the proton beam, for imaging the proton beam,for defining shape of the proton beam, and/or as a vacuum barrierbetween the low pressure beam path of the synchrotron and theatmosphere. Protons are delivered with control to the patient interfacemodule 150 and to a tumor of a patient. All of the above listed elementsare optional and may be used in various permutations and combinations.

Ion Extraction from Ion Source

For clarity of presentation and without loss of generality, examplesfocus on protons from the ion source. However, more generally cations ofany charge are optionally extracted from a corresponding ion source withthe techniques described herein. For instance, C⁴⁺ or C⁶⁺ are optionallyextracted using the ion extraction methods and apparatus describedherein. Further, by reversing polarity of the system, anions areoptionally extracted from an anion source, where the anion is of anycharge.

Herein, for clarity of presentation and without loss of generality, ionextraction is coupled with tumor treatment and/or tumor imaging.However, the ion extraction is optional used in any method or apparatususing a stream or time discrete bunches of ions.

Ion Extraction from Accelerator

Referring now to FIG. 1C, both: (1) an exemplary proton beam extractionsystem 215 from the synchrotron 130 and (2) a charged particle beamintensity control system 225 are illustrated. For clarity, FIG. 1Cremoves elements represented in FIG. 1B, such as the turning magnets,which allows for greater clarity of presentation of the proton beam pathas a function of time. Generally, protons are extracted from thesynchrotron 130 by slowing the protons. As described, supra, the protonswere initially accelerated in a circulating path, which is maintainedwith a plurality of main bending magnets 132. The circulating path isreferred to herein as an original central beamline 264. The protonsrepeatedly cycle around a central point in the synchrotron 136. Theproton path traverses through a radio frequency (RF) cavity system 310.To initiate extraction, an RF field is applied across a first blade 312and a second blade 314, in the RF cavity system 310. The first blade 312and second blade 314 are referred to herein as a first pair of blades.

In the proton extraction process, an RF voltage is applied across thefirst pair of blades, where the first blade 312 of the first pair ofblades is on one side of the circulating proton beam path 264 and thesecond blade 314 of the first pair of blades is on an opposite side ofthe circulating proton beam path 264. The applied RF field appliesenergy to the circulating charged-particle beam. The applied RF fieldalters the orbiting or circulating beam path slightly of the protonsfrom the original central beamline 264 to an altered circulating beampath 265. Upon a second pass of the protons through the RF cavitysystem, the RF field further moves the protons off of the originalproton beamline 264. For example, if the original beamline is consideredas a circular path, then the altered beamline is slightly elliptical.The frequency of the applied RF field is timed to apply outward orinward movement to a given band of protons circulating in thesynchrotron accelerator. Orbits of the protons are slightly more offaxis compared to the original circulating beam path 264. Successivepasses of the protons through the RF cavity system are forced furtherand further from the original central beamline 264 by altering thedirection and/or intensity of the RF field with each successive pass ofthe proton beam through the RF field. Timing of application of the RFfield and/or frequency of the RF field is related to the circulatingcharged particles circulation pathlength in the synchrotron 130 and thevelocity of the charged particles so that the applied RF field has aperiod, with a peak-to-peak time period, equal to a period of time ofbeam circulation in the synchrotron 130 about the center 136 or aninteger multiple of the time period of beam circulation about the center136 of the synchrotron 130. Alternatively, the time period of beamcirculation about the center 136 of the synchrotron 130 is an integermultiple of the RF period time. The RF period is optionally used tocalculated the velocity of the charged particles, which relates directlyto the energy of the circulating charged particles.

The RF voltage is frequency modulated at a frequency about equal to theperiod of one proton cycling around the synchrotron for one revolutionor at a frequency than is an integral multiplier of the period of oneproton cycling about the synchrotron. The applied RF frequency modulatedvoltage excites a betatron oscillation. For example, the oscillation isa sine wave motion of the protons. The process of timing the RF field toa given proton beam within the RF cavity system is repeated thousands oftimes with each successive pass of the protons being moved approximatelyone micrometer further off of the original central beamline 264. Forclarity, the approximately 1000 changing beam paths with each successivepath of a given band of protons through the RF field are illustrated asthe altered beam path 265. The RF time period is process is known, thusenergy of the charged particles at time of hitting the extractionmaterial 330, described infra, is known.

With a sufficient sine wave betatron amplitude, the altered circulatingbeam path 265 touches and/or traverses a extraction material 330, suchas a foil or a sheet of foil. The foil is preferably a lightweightmaterial, such as beryllium, a lithium hydride, a carbon sheet, or amaterial having low nuclear charge components. Herein, a material of lownuclear charge is a material composed of atoms consisting essentially ofatoms having six or fewer protons. The foil is preferably about 10 to150 microns thick, is more preferably about 30 to 100 microns thick, andis still more preferably about 40 to 60 microns thick. In one example,the foil is beryllium with a thickness of about 50 microns. When theprotons traverse through the foil, energy of the protons is lost and thespeed of the protons is reduced. Typically, a current is also generated,described infra. Protons moving at the slower speed travel in thesynchrotron with a reduced radius of curvature 266 compared to eitherthe original central beamline 264 or the altered circulating path 265.The reduced radius of curvature 266 path is also referred to herein as apath having a smaller diameter of trajectory or a path having protonswith reduced energy. The reduced radius of curvature 266 is typicallyabout two millimeters less than a radius of curvature of the last passof the protons along the altered proton beam path 265.

The thickness of the extraction material 330 is optionally adjusted tocreate a change in the radius of curvature, such as about ½, 1, 2, 3, or4 mm less than the last pass of the protons 265 or original radius ofcurvature 264. The reduction in velocity of the charged particlestransmitting through the extraction material 330 is calculable, such asby using the pathlength of the betatron oscillating charged particlebeam through the extraction material 330 and/or using the density of theextraction material 330. Protons moving with the smaller radius ofcurvature travel between a second pair of blades. In one case, thesecond pair of blades is physically distinct and/or is separated fromthe first pair of blades. In a second case, one of the first pair ofblades is also a member of the second pair of blades. For example, thesecond pair of blades is the second blade 314 and a third blade 316 inthe RF cavity system 310. A high voltage DC signal, such as about 1 to 5kV, is then applied across the second pair of blades, which directs theprotons out of the synchrotron through an extraction magnet 137, such asa Lambertson extraction magnet, into a transport path 268.

Control of acceleration of the charged particle beam path in thesynchrotron with the accelerator and/or applied fields of the turningmagnets in combination with the above described extraction system allowsfor control of the intensity of the extracted proton beam, whereintensity is a proton flux per unit time or the number of protonsextracted as a function of time. For example, when a current is measuredbeyond a threshold, the RF field modulation in the RF cavity system isterminated or reinitiated to establish a subsequent cycle of proton beamextraction. This process is repeated to yield many cycles of proton beamextraction from the synchrotron accelerator.

In another embodiment, instead of moving the charged particles to theextraction material 330, the extraction material 330 is mechanicallymoved to the circulating charged particles. Particularly, the extractionmaterial 330 is mechanically or electromechanically translated into thepath of the circulating charged particles to induce the extractionprocess, described supra. In this case, the velocity or energy of thecirculating charged particle beam is calculable using the pathlength ofthe beam path about the center 136 of the synchrotron 130 and from theforce applied by the bending magnets 132.

In either case, because the extraction system does not depend on anychange in magnetic field properties, it allows the synchrotron tocontinue to operate in acceleration or deceleration mode during theextraction process. Stated differently, the extraction process does notinterfere with synchrotron acceleration. In stark contrast, traditionalextraction systems introduce a new magnetic field, such as via ahexapole, during the extraction process. More particularly, traditionalsynchrotrons have a magnet, such as a hexapole magnet, that is offduring an acceleration stage. During the extraction phase, the hexapolemagnetic field is introduced to the circulating path of the synchrotron.The introduction of the magnetic field necessitates two distinct modes,an acceleration mode and an extraction mode, which are mutuallyexclusive in time. The herein described system allows for accelerationand/or deceleration of the proton during the extraction step and tumortreatment without the use of a newly introduced magnetic field, such asby a hexapole magnet.

Charged Particle Beam Intensity Control

Control of applied field, such as a radio-frequency (RF) field,frequency and magnitude in the RF cavity system 310 allows for intensitycontrol of the extracted proton beam, where intensity is extractedproton flux per unit time or the number of protons extracted as afunction of time.

Still referring FIG. 3, the intensity control system 225 is furtherdescribed. In this example, an intensity control feedback loop is addedto the extraction system, described supra. When protons in the protonbeam hit the extraction material 330 electrons are given off from theextraction material 330 resulting in a current. The resulting current isconverted to a voltage and is used as part of an ion beam intensitymonitoring system or as part of an ion beam feedback loop forcontrolling beam intensity. The voltage is optionally measured and sentto the main controller 110 or to an intensity controller subsystem 340,which is preferably in communication or under the direction of the maincontroller 110. More particularly, when protons in the charged particlebeam path pass through the extraction material 330, some of the protonslose a small fraction of their energy, such as about one-tenth of apercent, which results in a secondary electron. That is, protons in thecharged particle beam push some electrons when passing throughextraction material 330 giving the electrons enough energy to causesecondary emission. The resulting electron flow results in a current orsignal that is proportional to the number of protons going through thetarget or extraction material 330. The resulting current is preferablyconverted to voltage and amplified. The resulting signal is referred toas a measured intensity signal.

The amplified signal or measured intensity signal resulting from theprotons passing through the extraction material 330 is optionally usedin monitoring the intensity of the extracted protons and is preferablyused in controlling the intensity of the extracted protons. For example,the measured intensity signal is compared to a goal signal, which ispredetermined in an irradiation of the tumor plan. The differencebetween the measured intensity signal and the planned for goal signal iscalculated. The difference is used as a control to the RF generator.Hence, the measured flow of current resulting from the protons passingthrough the extraction material 330 is used as a control in the RFgenerator to increase or decrease the number of protons undergoingbetatron oscillation and striking the extraction material 330. Hence,the voltage determined off of the extraction material 330 is used as ameasure of the orbital path and is used as a feedback control to controlthe RF cavity system.

In one example, the intensity controller subsystem 340 preferablyadditionally receives input from: (1) a detector 350, which provides areading of the actual intensity of the proton beam and/or (2) anirradiation plan 360. The irradiation plan provides the desiredintensity of the proton beam for each x, y, energy, and/or rotationalposition of the patient/tumor as a function of time. Thus, the intensitycontroller 340 receives the desired intensity from the irradiation plan350, the actual intensity from the detector 350 and/or a measure ofintensity from the extraction material 330, and adjusts the amplitudeand/or the duration of application of the applied radio-frequency fieldin the RF cavity system 310 to yield an intensity of the proton beamthat matches the desired intensity from the irradiation plan 360.

As described, supra, the protons striking the extraction material 330 isa step in the extraction of the protons from the synchrotron 130. Hence,the measured intensity signal is used to change the number of protonsper unit time being extracted, which is referred to as intensity of theproton beam. The intensity of the proton beam is thus under algorithmcontrol. Further, the intensity of the proton beam is controlledseparately from the velocity of the protons in the synchrotron 130.Hence, intensity of the protons extracted and the energy of the protonsextracted are independently variable. Still further, the intensity ofthe extracted protons is controllably variable while scanning thecharged particles beam in the tumor from one voxel to an adjacent voxelas a separate hexapole and separated time period from accelerationand/or treatment is not required, as described supra.

For example, protons initially move at an equilibrium trajectory in thesynchrotron 130. An RF field is used to excite or move the protons intoa betatron oscillation. In one case, the frequency of the protons orbitis about 10 MHz. In one example, in about one millisecond or after about10,000 orbits, the first protons hit an outer edge of the targetmaterial 130. The specific frequency is dependent upon the period of theorbit. Upon hitting the material 130, the protons push electrons throughthe foil to produce a current. The current is converted to voltage andamplified to yield a measured intensity signal. The measured intensitysignal is used as a feedback input to control the applied RF magnitudeor RF field. An energy beam sensor, described infra, is optionally usedas a feedback control to the RF field frequency or RF field of the RFfield extraction system 310 to dynamically control, modify, and/or alterthe delivered charge particle beam energy, such as in a continuouspencil beam scanning system operating to treat tumor voxels withoutalternating between an extraction phase and a treatment phase.Preferably, the measured intensity signal is compared to a target signaland a measure of the difference between the measured intensity signaland target signal is used to adjust the applied RF field in the RFcavity system 310 in the extraction system to control the intensity ofthe protons in the extraction step. Stated again, the signal resultingfrom the protons striking and/or passing through the material 130 isused as an input in RF field modulation. An increase in the magnitude ofthe RF modulation results in protons hitting the foil or material 130sooner. By increasing the RF, more protons are pushed into the foil,which results in an increased intensity, or more protons per unit time,of protons extracted from the synchrotron 130.

In another example, a detector 350 external to the synchrotron 130 isused to determine the flux of protons extracted from the synchrotron anda signal from the external detector is used to alter the RF field, RFintensity, RF amplitude, and/or RF modulation in the RF cavity system310. Here the external detector generates an external signal, which isused in a manner similar to the measured intensity signal, described inthe preceding paragraphs. Preferably, an algorithm or irradiation plan360 is used as an input to the intensity controller 340, which controlsthe RF field modulation by directing the RF signal in the betatronoscillation generation in the RF cavity system 310. The irradiation plan360 preferably includes the desired intensity of the charged particlebeam as a function of time and/or energy of the charged particle beam asa function of time, for each patient rotation position, and/or for eachx-, y-position of the charged particle beam.

In yet another example, when a current from extraction material 330resulting from protons passing through or hitting material is measuredbeyond a threshold, the RF field modulation in the RF cavity system isterminated or reinitiated to establish a subsequent cycle of proton beamextraction. This process is repeated to yield many cycles of proton beamextraction from the synchrotron accelerator.

In still yet another embodiment, intensity modulation of the extractedproton beam is controlled by the main controller 110. The maincontroller 110 optionally and/or additionally controls timing ofextraction of the charged particle beam and energy of the extractedproton beam.

The benefits of the system include a multi-dimensional scanning system.Particularly, the system allows independence in: (1) energy of theprotons extracted and (2) intensity of the protons extracted. That is,energy of the protons extracted is controlled by an energy controlsystem and an intensity control system controls the intensity of theextracted protons. The energy control system and intensity controlsystem are optionally independently controlled. Preferably, the maincontroller 110 controls the energy control system and the maincontroller 110 simultaneously controls the intensity control system toyield an extracted proton beam with controlled energy and controlledintensity where the controlled energy and controlled intensity areindependently variable and/or continually available as a separateextraction phase and acceleration phase are not required, as describedsupra. Thus the irradiation spot hitting the tumor is under independentcontrol of:

-   -   time;    -   energy;    -   intensity;    -   x-axis position, where the x-axis represents horizontal movement        of the proton beam relative to the patient, and    -   y-axis position, where the y-axis represents vertical movement        of the proton beam relative to the patient.

In addition, the patient is optionally independently translated and/orrotated relative to a translational axis of the proton beam at the sametime.

Beam Transport

The beam transport system 135 is used to move the charged particles fromthe accelerator to the patient, such as via a nozzle in a gantry,described infra.

Nozzle

After extraction from the synchrotron 130 and transport of the chargedparticle beam along the proton beam path 268 in the beam transportsystem 135, the charged particle beam exits through the nozzle system146. In one example, the nozzle system includes a nozzle foil coveringan end of the nozzle system 146 or a cross-sectional area within thenozzle system forming a vacuum seal. The nozzle system includes a nozzlethat expands in x/y-cross-sectional area along the z-axis of the protonbeam path 268 to allow the proton beam 268 to be scanned along thex-axis and y-axis by the vertical control element and horizontal controlelement, respectively. The nozzle foil is preferably mechanicallysupported by the outer edges of an exit port of the nozzle or nozzlesystem 146. An example of a nozzle foil is a sheet of about 0.1 inchthick aluminum foil. Generally, the nozzle foil separates atmospherepressures on the patient side of the nozzle foil from the low pressureregion, such as about 10⁻⁵ to 10⁻⁷ torr region, on the synchrotron 130side of the nozzle foil. The low pressure region is maintained to reducescattering of the circulating charged particle beam in the synchrotron.Herein, the exit foil of the nozzle is optionally the first sheet 760 ofthe charged particle beam state determination system 750, describedinfra.

Tomography/Beam State

In one embodiment, the charged particle tomography apparatus is used toimage a tumor in a patient. As current beam positiondetermination/verification is used in both tomography and cancer therapytreatment, for clarity of presentation and without limitation beam statedetermination is also addressed in this section. However, beam statedetermination is optionally used separately and without tomography.

In another example, the charged particle tomography apparatus is used incombination with a charged particle cancer therapy system using commonelements. For example, tomographic imaging of a cancerous tumor isperformed using charged particles generated with an injector,accelerator, and guided with a delivery system that are part of thecancer therapy system, described supra.

In various examples, the tomography imaging system is optionallysimultaneously operational with a charged particle cancer therapy systemusing common elements, allows tomographic imaging with rotation of thepatient, is operational on a patient in an upright, semi-upright, and/orhorizontal position, is simultaneously operational with X-ray imaging,and/or allows use of adaptive charged particle cancer therapy. Further,the common tomography and cancer therapy apparatus elements areoptionally operational in a multi-axis and/or multi-field raster beammode.

In conventional medical X-ray tomography, a sectional image through abody is made by moving one or both of an X-ray source and the X-ray filmin relative to the patient during the exposure. By modifying thedirection and extent of the movement, operators can select differentfocal planes, which contain the structures of interest. More modernvariations of tomography involve gathering projection data from multipledirections by moving the X-ray source and feeding the data into atomographic reconstruction software algorithm processed by a computer.Herein, in stark contrast to known methods, the radiation source is acharged particle, such as a proton ion beam or a carbon ion beam. Aproton beam is used herein to describe the tomography system, but thedescription applies to a heavier ion beam, such as a carbon ion beam.Further, in stark contrast to known techniques, herein the radiationsource is optionally stationary while the patient is rotated.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an example of a tomography apparatus isdescribed and an example of a beam state determination is described. Inthis example, the tomography system 200 uses elements in common with thecharged particle beam system 100, including elements of one or more ofthe injection system 120, the accelerator 130, a positively chargedparticle beam transport path 268 within a beam transport housing 261 inthe beam transport system 135, the targeting/delivery system 140, thepatient interface module 150, the display system 160, and/or the imagingsystem 170, such as the X-ray imaging system. The scintillation materialis optionally one or more scintillation plates, such as a scintillatingplastic, used to measure energy, intensity, and/or position of thecharged particle beam. For instance, a scintillation material 210 orscintillation plate is positioned behind the patient 230 relative to thetargeting/delivery system 140 elements, which is optionally used tomeasure intensity and/or position of the charged particle beam aftertransmitting through the patient. Optionally, a second scintillationplate or a charged particle induced photon emitting sheet, describedinfra, is positioned prior to the patient 230 relative to thetargeting/delivery system 140 elements, which is optionally used tomeasure incident intensity and/or position of the charged particle beamprior to transmitting through the patient. The charged particle beamsystem 100 as described has proven operation at up to and including 330MeV, which is sufficient to send protons through the body and intocontact with the scintillation material. Particularly, 250 MeV to 330MeV are used to pass the beam through a standard sized patient with astandard sized pathlength, such as through the chest. The intensity orcount of protons hitting the plate as a function of position is used tocreate an image. The velocity or energy of the proton hitting thescintillation plate is also used in creation of an image of the tumor220 and/or an image of the patient 230. The patient 230 is rotated aboutthe y-axis and a new image is collected. Preferably, a new image iscollected with about every one degree of rotation of the patientresulting in about 360 images that are combined into a tomogram usingtomographic reconstruction software. The tomographic reconstructionsoftware uses overlapping rotationally varied images in thereconstruction. Optionally, a new image is collected at about every 2,3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 30, or 45 degrees of rotation of the patient.

Herein, the scintillation material 210 or scintillator is any materialthat emits a photon when struck by a positively charged particle or whena positively charged particle transfers energy to the scintillationmaterial sufficient to cause emission of light. Optionally, thescintillation material 210 emits the photon after a delay, such as influorescence or phosphorescence. However, preferably, the scintillatorhas a fast fifty percent quench time, such as less than 0.0001, 0.001,0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100, or 1,000 milliseconds, so that the light emissiongoes dark, falls off, or terminates quickly. Preferred scintillationmaterials include sodium iodide, potassium iodide, cesium iodide, aniodide salt, and/or a doped iodide salt. Additional examples of thescintillation materials include, but are not limited to: an organiccrystal, a plastic, a glass, an organic liquid, a luminophor, and/or aninorganic material or inorganic crystal, such as barium fluoride, BaF₂;calcium fluoride, CaF₂, doped calcium fluoride, sodium iodide, NaI;doped sodium iodide, sodium iodide doped with thallium, NaI(TI); cadmiumtungstate, CdWO₄; bismuth germanate; cadmium tungstate, CdWO₄; calciumtungstate, CaWO₄; cesium iodide, CsI; doped cesium iodide; cesium iodidedoped with thallium, CsI(Tl); cesium iodide doped with sodium CsI(Na);potassium iodide, KI; doped potassium iodide, gadolinium oxysulfide,Gd₂O₂S; lanthanum bromide doped with cerium, LaBr₃(Ce); lanthanumchloride, LaCl₃; cesium doped lanthanum chloride, LaCl₃(Ce); leadtungstate, PbWO₄; LSO or lutetium oxyorthosilicate (Lu₂SiO₅); LYSO,Lu_(1.8)Y_(0.2)SiO₅(Ce); yttrium aluminum garnet, YAG(Ce); zinc sulfide,ZnS(Ag); and zinc tungstate, ZnWO₄.

In one embodiment, a tomogram or an individual tomogram section image iscollected at about the same time as cancer therapy occurs using thecharged particle beam system 100. For example, a tomogram is collectedand cancer therapy is subsequently performed: without the patient movingfrom the positioning systems, such as in a semi-vertical partialimmobilization system, a sitting partial immobilization system, or the alaying position. In a second example, an individual tomogram slice iscollected using a first cycle of the accelerator 130 and using afollowing cycle of the accelerator 130, the tumor 220 is irradiated,such as within about 1, 2, 5, 10, 15 or 30 seconds. In a third case,about 2, 3, 4, or 5 tomogram slices are collected using 1, 2, 3, 4, ormore rotation positions of the patient 230 within about 5, 10, 15, 30,or 60 seconds of subsequent tumor irradiation therapy.

In another embodiment, the independent control of the tomographicimaging process and X-ray collection process allows simultaneous singleand/or multi-field collection of X-ray images and tomographic imageseasing interpretation of multiple images. Indeed, the X-ray andtomographic images are optionally overlaid and/or integrated to from ahybrid X-ray/proton beam tomographic image as the patient 230 isoptionally in the same position for each image.

In still another embodiment, the tomogram is collected with the patient230 in the about the same position as when the patient's tumor istreated using subsequent irradiation therapy. For some tumors, thepatient being positioned in the same upright or semi-upright positionallows the tumor 220 to be separated from surrounding organs or tissueof the patient 230 better than in a laying position. Positioning of thescintillation material 210 behind the patient 230 allows the tomographicimaging to occur while the patient is in the same upright orsemi-upright position.

The use of common elements in the tomographic imaging and in the chargedparticle cancer therapy allows benefits of the cancer therapy, describedsupra, to optionally be used with the tomographic imaging, such asproton beam x-axis control, proton beam y-axis control, control ofproton beam energy, control of proton beam intensity, timing control ofbeam delivery to the patient, rotation control of the patient, andcontrol of patient translation all in a raster beam mode of protonenergy delivery. The use of a single proton or cation beamline for bothimaging and treatment eases patient setup, reduces alignmentuncertainties, reduces beam state uncertainties, and eases qualityassurance.

In yet still another embodiment, initially a three-dimensionaltomographic X-ray and/or proton based reference image is collected, suchas with hundreds of individual rotation images of the tumor 220 andpatient 230. Subsequently, just prior to proton treatment of the cancer,just a few 2-dimensional control tomographic images of the patient arecollected, such as with a stationary patient or at just a few rotationpositions, such as an image straight on to the patient, with the patientrotated about 45 degrees each way, and/or the X-ray source and/orpatient rotated about 90 degrees each way about the y-axis. Theindividual control images are compared with the 3-dimensional referenceimage. An adaptive proton therapy is optionally subsequently performedwhere: (1) the proton cancer therapy is not used for a given positionbased on the differences between the 3-dimensional reference image andone or more of the 2-dimensional control images and/or (2) the protoncancer therapy is modified in real time based on the differences betweenthe 3-dimensional reference image and one or more of the 2-dimensionalcontrol images.

Charged Particle State Determination/Verification/Photonic Monitoring

Still referring to FIG. 2, the tomography system 200 is optionally usedwith a charged particle beam state determination system 250, optionallyused as a charged particle verification system. The charged particlestate determination system 250 optionally measures, determines, and/orverifies one of more of: (1) position of the charged particle beam, suchas a treatment beam 269, (2) direction of the treatment beam 269, (3)intensity of the treatment beam 269, (4) energy of the treatment beam269, (5) position, direction, intensity, and/or energy of the chargedparticle beam, such as a residual charged particle beam 267 afterpassing through a sample or the patient 230, and/or (6) a history of thecharged particle beam.

For clarity of presentation and without loss of generality, adescription of the charged particle beam state determination system 250is described and illustrated separately in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4A; however,as described herein elements of the charged particle beam statedetermination system 250 are optionally and preferably integrated intothe nozzle system 146 and/or the tomography system 200 of the chargedparticle treatment system 100. More particularly, any element of thecharged particle beam state determination system 250 is integrated intothe nozzle system 146, a dynamic gantry nozzle, and/or tomography system200, such as a surface of the scintillation material 210 or a surface ofa scintillation detector, plate, or system. The nozzle system 146 or thedynamic gantry nozzle provides an outlet of the charged particle beamfrom the vacuum tube initiating at the injection system 120 and passingthrough the synchrotron 130 and beam transport system 135. Any plate,sheet, fluorophore, or detector of the charged particle beam statedetermination system is optionally integrated into the nozzle system146. For example, an exit foil of the nozzle is optionally a first sheet252 of the charged particle beam state determination system 250 and afirst coating 254 is optionally coated onto the exit foil, asillustrated in FIG. 2. Similarly, optionally a surface of thescintillation material 210 is a support surface for a fourth coating292, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The charged particle beam statedetermination system 250 is further described, infra.

Referring now to FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4A, four sheets, a first sheet252, a second sheet 270, a third sheet 280, and a fourth sheet 290 areused to illustrate detection sheets and/or photon emitting sheets upontransmittance of a charged particle beam. Each sheet is optionallycoated with a photon emitter, such as a fluorophore, such as the firstsheet 252 is optionally coated with a first coating 254. Without loss ofgenerality and for clarity of presentation, the four sheets are eachillustrated as units, where the light emitting layer is not illustrated.Thus, for example, the second sheet 270 optionally refers to a supportsheet, a light emitting sheet, and/or a support sheet coated by a lightemitting element. The four sheets are representative of n sheets, wheren is a positive integer.

Referring now to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the charged particle beam stateverification system 250 is a system that allows for monitoring of theactual charged particle beam position in real-time without destructionof the charged particle beam. The charged particle beam stateverification system 250 preferably includes a first position element orfirst beam verification layer, which is also referred to herein as acoating, luminescent, fluorescent, phosphorescent, radiance, or viewinglayer. The first position element optionally and preferably includes acoating or thin layer substantially in contact with a sheet, such as aninside surface of the nozzle foil, where the inside surface is on thesynchrotron side of the nozzle foil. Less preferably, the verificationlayer or coating layer is substantially in contact with an outer surfaceof the nozzle foil, where the outer surface is on the patient treatmentside of the nozzle foil. Preferably, the nozzle foil provides asubstrate surface for coating by the coating layer. Optionally, abinding layer is located between the coating layer and the nozzle foil,substrate, or support sheet. Optionally, the position element is placedanywhere in the charged particle beam path. Optionally, more than oneposition element on more than one sheet, respectively, is used in thecharged particle beam path and is used to determine a state property ofthe charged particle beam, as described infra.

Still referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the coating, referred to as afluorophore, yields a measurable spectroscopic response, spatiallyviewable by a detector or camera, as a result of transmission by theproton beam. The coating is preferably a phosphor, but is optionally anymaterial that is viewable or imaged by a detector where the materialchanges, as viewed spectroscopically, as a result of the chargedparticle beam hitting or transmitting through the coating or coatinglayer. A detector or camera views secondary photons emitted from thecoating layer and determines a position of a treatment beam 269, whichis also referred to as a current position of the charged particle beamor final treatment vector of the charged particle beam, by thespectroscopic differences resulting from protons and/or charged particlebeam passing through the coating layer. For example, the camera views asurface of the coating surface as the proton beam or positively chargedcation beam is being scanned by the first axis controller 143, verticalcontrol, and the second axis controller 144, horizontal control, beamposition control elements during treatment of the tumor 220. The cameraviews the current position of the charged particle beam or treatmentbeam 269 as measured by spectroscopic response. The coating layer ispreferably a phosphor or luminescent material that glows and/or emitsphotons for a short period of time, such as less than 5 seconds for a50% intensity, as a result of excitation by the charged particle beam.The detector observes the temperature change and/or observe photonsemitted from the charged particle beam traversed spot. Optionally, aplurality of cameras or detectors are used, where each detector viewsall or a portion of the coating layer. For example, two detectors areused where a first detector views a first half of the coating layer andthe second detector views a second half of the coating layer.Preferably, at least a portion of the detector is mounted into thenozzle system to view the proton beam position after passing through thefirst axis and second axis controllers 143, 144. Preferably, the coatinglayer is positioned in the proton beam path 268 in a position prior tothe protons striking the patient 230.

Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the main controller 110, connectedto the camera or detector output, optionally and preferably compares thefinal proton beam position or position of the treatment beam 269 withthe planned proton beam position and/or a calibration reference, such asa calibrated beamline, to determine if the actual proton beam positionor position of the treatment beam 269 is within tolerance. The chargedparticle beam state determination system 250 preferably is used in oneor more phases, such as a calibration phase, a mapping phase, a beamposition verification phase, a treatment phase, and a treatment planmodification phase. The calibration phase is used to correlate, as afunction of x-, y-position of the first axis controller 143 and thesecond axis controller 144 response the actual x-, y-position of theproton beam at the patient interface. During the treatment phase, thecharged particle beam position is monitored and compared to thecalibration and/or treatment plan to verify accurate proton delivery tothe tumor 220 and/or as a charged particle beam shutoff safetyindicator. Referring now to FIG. 5, the position verification system 179and/or a treatment delivery control system 112, upon determination of atumor shift, an unpredicted tumor distortion upon treatment, and/or atreatment anomaly optionally generates and or provides a recommendedtreatment change 1070. The treatment change 1070 is optionally sent outwhile the patient 230 is still in the treatment position, such as to aproximate physician or over the internet to a remote physician, forphysician approval 1072, receipt of which allows continuation of the nowmodified and approved treatment plan.

Example I

Referring now to FIG. 2, a first example of the charged particle beamstate determination system 250 is illustrated using two cation inducedsignal generation surfaces, referred to herein as the first sheet 252and a third sheet 780. Each sheet is described below.

Still referring to FIG. 2, in the first example, the optional firstsheet 252, located in the charged particle beam path prior to thepatient 230, is coated with a first fluorophore coating 254, wherein acation, such as in the charged particle beam, transmitting through thefirst sheet 252 excites localized fluorophores of the first fluorophorecoating 254 with resultant emission of one or more photons. In thisexample, a first detector 212 images the first fluorophore coating 254and the main controller 110 determines a current position of the chargedparticle beam using the image of the fluorophore coating 254 and thedetected photon(s). The intensity of the detected photons emitted fromthe first fluorophore coating 254 is optionally used to determine theintensity of the charged particle beam used in treatment of the tumor220 or detected by the tomography system 200 in generation of a tomogramand/or tomographic image of the tumor 220 of the patient 230. Thus, afirst position and/or a first intensity of the charged particle beam isdetermined using the position and/or intensity of the emitted photons,respectively.

Still referring to FIG. 2, in the first example, the optional thirdsheet 280, positioned posterior to the patient 230, is optionally acation induced photon emitting sheet as described in the previousparagraph. However, as illustrated, the third sheet 280 is a solid statebeam detection surface, such as a detector array. For instance, thedetector array is optionally a charge coupled device, a charge induceddevice, CMOS, or camera detector where elements of the detector arrayare read directly, as does a commercial camera, without the secondaryemission of photons. Similar to the detection described for the firstsheet, the third sheet 280 is used to determine a position of thecharged particle beam and/or an intensity of the charged particle beamusing signal position and/or signal intensity from the detector array,respectively.

Still referring to FIG. 2, in the first example, signals from the firstsheet 252 and third sheet 280 yield a position before and after thepatient 230 allowing a more accurate determination of the chargedparticle beam through the patient 230 therebetween. Optionally,knowledge of the charged particle beam path in the targeting/deliverysystem 140, such as determined via a first magnetic field strengthacross the first axis controller 143 or a second magnetic field strengthacross the second axis controller 144 is combined with signal derivedfrom the first sheet 252 to yield a first vector of the chargedparticles prior to entering the patient 230 and/or an input point of thecharged particle beam into the patient 230, which also aids in: (1)controlling, monitoring, and/or recording tumor treatment and/or (2)tomography development/interpretation. Optionally, signal derived fromuse of the third sheet 280, posterior to the patient 230, is combinedwith signal derived from tomography system 200, such as thescintillation material 210, to yield a second vector of the chargedparticles posterior to the patient 230 and/or an output point of thecharged particle beam from the patient 230, which also aids in: (1)controlling, monitoring, deciphering, and/or (2) interpreting a tomogramor a tomographic image.

For clarity of presentation and without loss of generality, detection ofphotons emitted from sheets is used to further describe the chargedparticle beam state determination system 250. However, any of the cationinduced photon emission sheets described herein are alternativelydetector arrays. Further, any number of cation induced photon emissionsheets are used prior to the patient 230 and/or posterior to the patient230, such a 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, or more. Still further, any of thecation induced photon emission sheets are place anywhere in the chargedparticle beam, such as in the synchrotron 130, in the beam transportsystem 135, in the targeting/delivery system 140, the nozzle system 146,in the treatment room, and/or in the tomography system 200. Any of thecation induced photon emission sheets are used in generation of a beamstate signal as a function of time, which is optionally recorded, suchas for an accurate history of treatment of the tumor 220 of the patient230 and/or for aiding generation of a tomographic image.

Example II

Referring now to FIG. 3, a second example of the charged particle beamstate determination system 250 is illustrated using three cation inducedsignal generation surfaces, referred to herein as the second sheet 270,the third sheet 280, and the fourth sheet 290. Any of the second sheet270, the third sheet 280, and the fourth sheet 290 contain any of thefeatures of the sheets described supra.

Still referring to FIG. 3, in the second example, the second sheet 270,positioned prior to the patient 230, is optionally integrated into thenozzle and/or the nozzle system 146, but is illustrated as a separatesheet. Signal derived from the second sheet 270, such as at point A, isoptionally combined with signal from the first sheet 252 and/or state ofthe targeting/delivery system 140 to yield a first line or vector,v_(1a), from point A to point B of the charged particle beam prior tothe sample or patient 230 at a first time, t₁, and a second line orvector, v_(2a), from point F to point G of the charged particle beamprior to the sample at a second time, t₂.

Still referring to FIG. 3, in the second example, the third sheet 280and the fourth sheet 290, positioned posterior to the patient 230, areoptionally integrated into the tomography system 200, but areillustrated as a separate sheets. Signal derived from the third sheet280, such as at point D, is optionally combined with signal from thefourth sheet 290 and/or signal from the tomography system 200 to yield afirst line segment or vector, v_(1b), from point C₂ to point D and/orfrom point D to point E of the charged particle beam posterior to thepatient 230 at the first time, t₁, and a second line segment or vector,v_(2b), such as from point H to point I of the charged particle beamposterior to the sample at a second time, t₂. Signal derived from thethird sheet 280 and/or from the fourth sheet 290 and the correspondingfirst vector at the second time, t₂, is used to determine an outputpoint, C₂, which may and often does differ from an extension of thefirst vector, v_(1s), from point A to point B through the patient to anon-scattered beam path of point C₁. The difference between point C₁ andpoint C₂ and/or an angle, α, between the first vector at the first time,v_(1a), and the first vector at the second time, v_(1b), is used todetermine/map/identify, such as via tomographic analysis, internalstructure of the patient 230, sample, and/or the tumor 220, especiallywhen combined with scanning the charged particle beam in the x/y-planeas a function of time, such as illustrated by the second vector at thefirst time, v_(2a), and the second vector at the second time, v_(2b),forming angle β and/or with rotation of the patient 230, such as aboutthe y-axis, as a function of time.

Still referring to FIG. 3, multiple detectors/detector arrays areillustrated for detection of signals from multiple sheets, respectively.However, a single detector/detector array is optionally used to detectsignals from multiple sheets, as further described infra. Asillustrated, a set of detectors 211 is illustrated, including a seconddetector 214 imaging the second sheet 270, a third detector 216 imagingthe third sheet 280, and a fourth detector 218 imaging the fourth sheet290. Any of the detectors described herein are optionally detectorarrays, are optionally coupled with any optical filter, and/oroptionally use one or more intervening optics to image any of the foursheets 252, 270, 280, 290. Further, two or more detectors optionallyimage a single sheet, such as a region of the sheet, to aid opticalcoupling, such as F-number optical coupling.

Still referring to FIG. 3, a vector or line segment of the chargedparticle beam is determined. Particularly, in the illustrated example,the third detector 216, determines, via detection of secondary emittedphotons, that the charged particle beam transmitted through point D andthe fourth detector 218 determines that the charged particle beamtransmitted through point E, where points D and E are used to determinethe first vector or line segment at the second time, v_(1b), asdescribed supra. To increase accuracy and precision of a determinedvector of the charged particle beam, a first determined beam positionand a second determined beam position are optionally and preferablyseparated by a distance, d₁, such as greater than 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5,10, or more centimeters. A support element 252 is illustrated thatoptionally connects any two or more elements of the charged particlebeam state determination system 250 to each other and/or to any elementof the charged particle beam system 100, such as a rotating platform 256used to position and/or co-rotate the patient 230 and any element of thetomography system 200.

Example III

Still referring to FIG. 4A, a third example of the charged particle beamstate determination system 250 is illustrated in an integratedtomography-cancer therapy system 400.

Referring to FIG. 4A, multiple sheets and multiple detectors areillustrated determining a charged particle beam state prior to thepatient 230. As illustrated, a first camera 212 spatially images photonsemitted from the first sheet 260 at point A, resultant from energytransfer from the passing charged particle beam, to yield a first signaland a second camera 214 spatially images photons emitted from the secondsheet 270 at point B, resultant from energy transfer from the passingcharged particle beam, to yield a second signal. The first and secondsignals allow calculation of the first vector or line segment, v_(1a),with a subsequent determination of an entry point 232 of the chargedparticle beam into the patient 230. Determination of the first vector,v_(1a), is optionally supplemented with information derived from statesof the magnetic fields about the first axis controller 143, the verticalcontrol, and the second axis controller 144, the horizontal axiscontrol, as described supra.

Still referring to FIG. 4A, the charged particle beam statedetermination system is illustrated with multiple resolvable wavelengthsof light emitted as a result of the charged particle beam transmittingthrough more than one molecule type, light emission center, and/orfluorophore type. For clarity of presentation and without loss ofgenerality a first fluorophore in the third sheet 280 is illustrated asemitting blue light, b, and a second fluorophore in the fourth sheet 290is illustrated as emitting red light, r, that are both detected by thethird detector 216. The third detector is optionally coupled with anywavelength separation device, such as an optical filter, grating, orFourier transform device. For clarity of presentation, the system isdescribed with the red light passing through a red transmission filterblocking blue light and the blue light passing through a bluetransmission filter blocking red light. Wavelength separation, using anymeans, allows one detector to detect a position of the charged particlebeam resultant in a first secondary emission at a first wavelength, suchas at point C, and a second secondary emission at a second wavelength,such as at point D. By extension, with appropriate optics, one camera isoptionally used to image multiple sheets and/or sheets both prior to andposterior to the sample. Spatial determination of origin of the redlight and the blue light allow calculation of the first vector at thesecond time, V_(1b), and an actual exit point 236 from the patient 230as compared to a non-scattered exit point 234 from the patient 230 asdetermined from the first vector at the first time, V_(1a).

Ion Beam State Determination/Energy Dissipation System

Referring now to FIG. 4B-4H an ion beam state determination/kineticenergy dissipation system is described. Generally, a dual use chamber isdescribed functioning at a first time, when filled with gas, as anelement in an ion beam state determination system and functioning at asecond time, when filled with liquid, as an element of a kinetic energydissipation system. The dual purpose/use chamber is further describedherein.

Ionization Strip Detector

Referring now to FIGS. 4(A-C), an ion beam location determination systemis described. In FIG. 4A, x/y-beam positions are determined using afirst sheet 260 and a second sheet 270, such as where the sheets emitphotons. In FIG. 4B, the first sheet 260 comprises a first axis, orx-axis, ionization strip detector 410. In the first ionization stripdetector 410, an x-axis position of the positive ion beam is determinedusing vertical strips, where interaction of the positive ion with one ormore vertical strips of the x-axis interacting strips 411 results inelectron emission, the current carried by the interacting strip andconverted to an x-axis position signal, such as with an x-axis register412, detector, integrator, and/or amplifier. Similarly, in the secondionization strip detector 415, a y-axis position of the positive ionbeam is determined using horizontal strips, where interaction of thepositive ion results with one or more horizontal strips of the y-axisionization strips 416 results in another electron emission, theresulting current carried by the y-axis interacting strip and convertedto a y-axis position signal, such as with a y-axis register 417,detector, integrator, and/or amplifier.

Dual Use Ion Chamber

Referring now to FIG. 4D a dual use ionization chamber 420 isillustrated. The dual use ionization chamber 420 is optionallypositioned anywhere in an ion beam path, in a negatively chargedparticle beam path, and/or in a positively charged particle beam path,where the positively charged particle beam path is used herein forclarity of presentation. Herein, for clarity of presentation and withoutloss of generality, the dual use ionization chamber 420 is integratedinto and/or is adjacent the nozzle system 146. The dual use ionizationchamber 420 comprises any material, but is optionally and preferably aplastic, polymer, polycarbonate, and/or an acrylic. The dual useionization chamber 420 comprises: a charged particle beam entrance side423 and a charged particle beam exit side 425. The positively chargedparticle beam path optionally and preferably passes through an entranceaperture 424 in the beam entrance side of the dual use ionizationchamber 420 and exits the dual use ionization chamber 420 through anexit aperture 426 in the charged particle beam exit side 425. Theentrance aperture 424 and/or the exit aperture 426 are optionallycovered with a liquid tight and/or gas tight optic or film, such as awindow, glass, optical cell surface, film, membrane, a polyimide film,an aluminum coated film, and/or an aluminum coated polyimide film.

Example I

In a first example, referring now to FIG. 4D and FIG. 4E, the entranceaperture 424 and exit aperture 426 of the charged particle beam entranceside 423 and the charged particle beam exit side 425, respectively, ofthe dual use ionization chamber 420 are further described. Moreparticularly, the first ionization strip detector 410 and the secondionization strip detector 415 are coupled with the dual use ionizationchamber 420. As illustrated, the first ionization strip detector 410 andthe second ionization strip detector 415 cover the entrance aperture 424and optionally and preferably form a liquid and/or gas tight seal to theentrance side 423 of the dual use ionization chamber 420.

Example II

In a second example, referring still to FIG. 4D and FIG. 4E, theentrance aperture 424 and exit aperture 426 of the charged particle beamentrance side 423 and the charged particle beam exit side 425,respectively, of the dual use ionization chamber 420 are furtherdescribed. More particularly, in this example, the first ionizationstrip detector 410 and the second ionization strip detector 415 areintegrated into the exit aperture 426 of the use ionization chamber 420.As illustrated, an aluminum coated film 421 is also integrated into theexit aperture 426.

Example III

In a third example, referring still to FIG. 4D and FIG. 4E, the firstionization detector 410 and the second ionization detector 415 areoptionally used to: (1) cover and/or function as an element of a seal ofthe entrance aperture 424 and/or the exit aperture 426 and/or (2)function to determine a position and/or state of the positively chargedion beam at and/or near one or both of the entrance aperture 424 and theexit aperture 426 of the dual use ionization chamber 420.

Referring now to FIG. 4F, two uses of the dual use ionization chamber420 are described. At a first time, the dual use ionization chamber 420is filled, at least to above a path of the charged particle beam, with aliquid. The liquid is used to reduce and/or dissipate the kinetic energyof the positively charged particle beam. At a second time, the dual useionization chamber 420 is filled, at least in a volume of the chargedparticle beam, with a gas. The gas, such as helium, functions tomaintain the charged particle beam integrity, focus, state, and/ordimensions as the helium scatters the positively charged particle beamless than air, where the pathlength of the dual use ionization chamber420 is necessary to separate elements of the nozzle system, such as thefirst axis controller 143, the second axis controller 144, the firstsheet 260, the second sheet 270, the third sheet 280, the fourth sheet290, and/or one or more instances of the first ionization detector 410and the second ionization detector 415.

Kinetic Energy Dissipater

Referring still to FIG. 4F, the kinetic energy dissipation aspect of thedual use ionization chamber 420 is further described. At a first time, aliquid, such as water is moved, such as with a pump, into the dual useionization chamber 420. The water interacts with the proton beam to slowand/or stop the proton beam. At a second time, the liquid is removed,such as with a pump and/or drain, from the dual use ionization chamber420. Through use of more water than will fit into the dual useionization chamber 420, the radiation level of the irradiated water perunit volume is decreased. The decreased radiation level allows morerapid access to the ionization chamber, which is very useful formaintenance and even routine use of a high power proton beam cancertherapy system. The inventor notes that immediate access to the chamberis allowed versus a standard and mandatory five hour delay to allowradiation dissipation using a traditional solid phase proton beam energyreducer.

Example I

Still referring to FIG. 4F, an example of use of a liquidmovement/exchange system 430 is provided, where the liquid exchangesystem 430 is used to dissipate kinetic energy and/or to disperseradiation. Generally, the liquid exchange system moves water from theuse purpose ionization chamber 420, having a first volume 427, using oneor more water lines 436, to a liquid reservoir tank 432 having a secondvolume 434. Generally, any radiation build-up in the first volume 427 isdiluted by circulating water through the water lines 436 to the secondvolume 434, where the second volume is at least 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5,or 10 times the size of the first volume. As illustrated, more than onedrain line is attached to the dual use ionization chamber 420, whichallows the dual use ionization chamber 420 to drain regardless oforientation of the nozzle system 146 as the dual use ionization chamber420 optionally and preferably co-moves with the nozzle system 146 and/oris integrated into the nozzle system 146. Optionally, the liquidmovement/exchange system 430 is used to remove radiation from thetreatment room 922, to reduce radiation levels of discharged fluids toacceptable levels via dilution, and/or to move the temporarilyradioactive fluid to another area or room for later reuse in the liquidmovement/exchange system 430.

Example II

Still referring to FIG. 4F, an example of a gas movement/exchange system440 is provided, where the gas exchange system 440 is used to fill/emptygas, such as helium, from the dual use ionization chamber 420. Asillustrated, helium, from a pressurized helium tank 442 and/or a heliumdisplacement chamber 444, is moved, such as via a regulator 446 or pumpand/or via displacement by water, to/from the dual use ionizationchamber 420 using one or more gas lines. For instance, as water ispumped into the dual use ionization chamber 420 from the liquidreservoir tank 432, the water displaces the helium forcing the heliumback into the helium displacement chamber 444. Alternatingly, the heliumis moved back into the dual use ionization chamber 420 by draining thewater, as described supra, and/or by increasing the helium pressure,such as through use of the pressurized helium tank 442. A desiccator isoptionally used in the system.

It should be appreciated that the gas/liquid reservoirs, movement lines,connections, and pumps are illustrative in nature of any liquid movementsystem and/or any gas movement system. Further, the water, used in theexamples for clarity of presentation, is more generally any liquid,combination of liquids, hydrocarbon, mercury, and/or liquid bromide.Similarly, the helium, used in the examples for clarity of presentation,is more generally any gas, mixture of gases, neon, and/or nitrogen.

Generally, the liquid in the liquid exchange system 430, replacesgraphite, copper, or metal used as a kinetic energy reducer in thecancer therapy system 100. Still more generally, the liquid exchangesystem 420 is optionally used with any positive particle beam type, anynegative particle beam type, and/or with any accelerator type, such as acyclotron or a synchrotron, to reduce kinetic energy of the ion beamwhile diluting and/or removing radiation from the system.

Beam Energy Reduction

Still referring to FIG. 4F and referring now to FIG. 4H, the kineticenergy dissipation aspect of the dual use ionization chamber 420 isfurther described. A pathlength, b, between the entrance aperture 424and exit aperture 426, of 55 cm through water is sufficient to block a330 MeV proton beam, where a 330 MeV proton beam is sufficient forproton transmission tomography through a patient. Thus, smallerpathlengths are optionally used to reduce the energy of the proton beam.

Still referring to FIG. 4F, in a first optional embodiment, a series ofliquid cells of differing pathlengths are optionally moved into and outof the proton beam to reduce energy of the proton beam and thus controla depth of penetration into the patient 230. For example, anycombination of liquid cells, such as the dual use ionization chamber420, having pathlengths of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 cm or any pathlengthfrom 0.1 to 100 cm are optionally used. Once an energy degradationpathlength is set to establish a main distance into the patient 230,energy controllers of the proton beam are optionally used to scanvarying depths into the tumor.

Still referring to FIG. 4F and referring again to FIG. 4H, in a second,preferred, optional embodiment, one or more pathlength adjustable liquidcells, such as the dual use ionization chamber 420, are positioned inthe proton beam path to use the proton beam energy to a preferred energyto target a depth of penetration into the patient 230. Two examples areused to further describe the pathlength adjustable liquid cells yieldinga continuous variation of proton beam energy.

Example I

A first example of a continuously variable proton beam energy controller460 is illustrated in FIG. 4H. It should be appreciated that a firsttriangular cross-section is used to represent the dual use ionizationchamber 420 for clarity of presentation and without loss of generality.More generally, any cross-section, continuous and/or discontinuous as afunction of x/y-axis position, is optionally used. Here, a continuousfunction, pathlength variable with x- and/or y-axis movement firstliquid cell 428 comprises a triangular cross-section. As illustrated, ata first time, t₁, the proton beam path 268 has a first pathlength, b₁,through the first liquid cell 428. At a second time, after translationof the first liquid cell 428 upward along the y-axis, the proton beampath has a second pathlength, b₂, through the first liquid cell 428.Thus, by moving the first liquid cell 428, having a non-uniformthickness, the proton beam path 268 passes through differing amounts ofliquid, yielding a range of kinetic energy dissipation. Simply, a longerpathlength, such as the second pathlength, b₂, being longer than thefirst pathlength, b₁, results in a greater slowing of the chargedparticles in the proton beam path. Herein, an initial pathlength of unitlength one is replaced with the second pathlength that is plus-or-minusat least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, or 200 percent of the firstpathlength.

Example II

A second example of a continuously variable proton beam energycontroller 460 is illustrated in FIG. 4H. As illustrated, by increasingor decreasing the first pathlength, b₁, the resultant proton beam path268 is possibly offset downward or upward respectively. To correct theproton beam path 268 back to an original vector, such as the treatmentbeam path 269, a second liquid cell 429 is used. As illustrated: (1) athird pathlength, b₃, through the second liquid cell 429 is equal to thefirst pathlength, b₁, at the first time, t₁; (2) the sign of theentrance angle of the proton beam path 268 is reversed when entering thesecond liquid cell 429 compared to entering the first liquid cell 428;and (3) the sign of the exit angle of the proton beam 268 exiting thesecond liquid cell 429 is opposite the first liquid cell 428. Further,as the first liquid cell 428 is moved in a first direction, such asupward along the y-axis as illustrated, to maintain a fourth pathlength,b₄, in the second liquid cell 429 matching the second pathlength, b₂,through the first liquid cell 428 at a second time, t₂, the secondliquid cell 429 is moved in an opposite direction, such as downwardalong the y-axis. More generally, the second liquid cell 429 optionally:(1) comprises a shape of the first liquid cell 428; (2) is rotatedone-hundred eighty degrees relative to the first liquid cell 428; and(3) is translated in an opposite direction of translation of the firstliquid cell 428 through the proton beam path 268 as a function of time.Generally, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more liquid cells of any combination ofshapes are used to slow the proton beam to a desired energy and directthe resultant proton beam, such as the treatment beam 269 along a chosenvector as a function of time.

Example III

Still referring to FIG. 4F and FIG. 4H, the proton beam, is optionallyaccelerated to an energy level/speed and, using the variable pathlengthdual use ionization chamber 420, the first liquid cell 428, and/or thesecond liquid cell 429, the energy of the extracted beam is reduced tovarying magnitudes, which is a form of scanning the tumor 220, as afunction of time. This allows the synchrotron 130 to accelerate theprotons to one energy and after extraction control the energy of theproton beam, which allows a more efficient use of the synchrotron 130 asincreasing or decreasing the energy with the synchrotron 130 typicallyresults in a beam dump and recharge and/or requires significant timeand/or energy, which slows treatment of the cancer while increasing costof the cancer.

Beam State Determination

Referring now to FIG. 4G, a beam state determination system 450 isdescribed that uses one or more of the first liquid cell 428, the secondliquid cell 429, and/or the dual use ionization chamber 420. For clarityof presentation and without loss of generality, as illustrated, thefirst liquid cell 428 comprises an orthotope shape. The beam statedetermination system 450 comprises at least a beam sensing element 451responsive to the proton beam connected to the main controller 110.Optionally and preferably, the beam sensing element 451 is positionedinto various x,y,z-positions inside the liquid containing orthotope as afunction of time, which allows a mapping of properties of the protonbeam, such as: intensity, depth of penetration, energy, radialdistribution about an incident vector of the proton beam, and/or aresultant mean angle. As illustrated, the beam sensing element 451 ispositioned in the proton beam path at a first time, t₁, using athree-dimensional probe positioner, comprising: a telescoping z-axissensor positioner 452, a y-axis positioning rail 454, and an x-axispositioning rail 456 and is positioned out of the proton beam path at asecond time, t₂ using the three-dimensional probe positioner. Generally,the probe positioner is any system capable of positioning the beamsensing element 451 as a function of time.

Time of Flight

Presently, many residual energy detectors are based on a scintillatormaterial where the light output is proportional to the proton's energy.For this type of detector, the ion is stopped in the scintillatormaterial, ideally not too close to the surface. In the system describedherein, the ion is not necessarily stopped with the time of flightdetectors.

Further, residual energy detectors based on a scintillation materialrequires that the ion have energy in a particular range to ensure thatit stops in the scintillator. The energy stopping requirement leads toadjusting energy of the proton beam, which takes time leading to timeinduced errors, such as patient movement. In the system describedherein, the time requiring energy adjustment step is optionally removed.

Referring now to FIGS. 4(I-K), time of flight of positively chargedparticles passing through the patient 230 is used to determine residualenergy/velocity of the positively charged particles, such as for use inpositively charged particle tomography. Herein, for clarity ofpresentation and without loss of generality protons and protontomography are used to described the positively charged particles andpositively charged particle tomography, respectively, where thepositively charged particle comprises any atomic number and any positivecharge, such as +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, or +6 or charge to mass ratio, suchas 1:1 or 2:1.

Herein, time of flight (TOF) refers to the time that the protons need totravel through one or more mediums. Measurement of the time of flight isused to measure a velocity, energy, or pathlength through the one ormediums of the proton.

Herein, the proton is detected directly and/or indirectly, such as vialight emission, secondary particle formation, and/or generation of asecondary electron from the interacting material. In the case of higherenergy particles, detection of a breakdown particle of the higher energyparticles is optionally used to determine path and/or velocity of thehigher energy particle.

Referring now to FIG. 4I, a time of flight system 470 is illustrated. Inthis example, the protons from the synchrotron 130, after passingthrough the patient 230, forms the residual charged particle beam 267.With or without x/y-position detectors, the velocity or energy of theresidual charged particle beam 267 is determined using a first TOFdetector 474 and a second TOF detector 478. A pathlength is the distancebetween a first point of a charged particle, of the charged particlebeam 267, crossing the first TOF detector 474 and a second point of thecharged particle crossing or stopped in the second TOF detector 478. Asillustrated, at a first time, t₁, a residual charged particle of theresidual charged particle beam 267 between the first TOF detector 474and the second TOF detector 478 comprises a first pathlength, b₁. Duringuse, an initial time of the charged particle crossing the first TOFdetector is derived from the first TOF detector 474 and a final time ofthe charged particle crossing the second TOF detector 478 is derivedfrom the second TOF detector 478. The elapsed time, the time differencebetween the initial time and the final time, is combined with pathlengthto determine the velocity of the residual charged particle beam 267and/or the energy of the residual charged particle beam 267 as energy isrelated to velocity for a mass of a given particle, such as through amathematical relationship between velocity, time, and distance.

Still referring to FIG. 4I, the first TOF detector 474 and the secondTOF detector 478 are optionally detector arrays. Thus, a first positionof a charged particle of the residual charged particle beam 267 isoptionally determined by determining which detector element of the firstTOF detector 474 detects the charged particle and a second position ofthe charged particle is optionally determined by determining whichdetector element of the second TOF detector 478 detects the chargedparticle. As illustrated at the second time, t₂, the use of detectorarrays allows determination of a second pathlength, b₂, at anon-orthogonal angle relative to front surface planes of the first andsecond TOF detectors 474, 478.

Still referring to FIG. 4I, the first TOF detector 474 and the secondTOF detector 478 are optionally used in combination with x/y-positiondetectors of the charged particle, such as the first ionization stripdetector 410 and the second ionization strip detector 415 or the thirdsheet 280 and the fourth sheet 290, described supra.

Still referring to FIG. 4I, generally a beam state determination system472, optionally linked to the main controller 110, uses signals from thex/y-position detectors, the first TOF detector 474, and/or the secondTOF detector 478 to determine one or more of: two or more x-positions ofthe charged particle, two or more y-positions of the charged particle,the initial time, the final time, the elapsed time, a velocity of theresidual charged particle beam, an energy of the residual chargedparticle beam 267, an exit point of the charged particle from thepatient 230, and input to/calculation of a charged particle tomographyimage, such as the tumor 220 of the patient 230.

Referring now to FIG. 4J, the time of flight system 470 is illustratedwith an optional time of flight degrader 476, also referred to as a timeexpander element, velocity reducer element, or an energy degraderelement. Generally, the velocity of the residual charged particle beam267 requires determination of sub-microsecond time intervals between thecharged particle beam crossing the first TOF detector 474 and the secondTOF detector 478, such as less than nanosecond or less than onepicosecond. While nanosecond time intervals are readily determined, moreadvanced systems are required to determine time intervals on the orderof 1 to 1,000,000 femtoseconds or 1 to 1000 picoseconds, which may beprohibitively expensive, position sensitive, and/or large. However,insertion of the time of flight degrader 476 into a path of the residualcharged particle beam between the patient 230 and the second TOFdetector 478 slows the charged particle to allow time intervals, betweenthe first TOF detector 474 and the second time of flight detector 478,greater than 1, 10, 100, or 1,000 nanoseconds. The time of flightdegrader optionally decreases velocity of a charged particle by greaterthan 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 percent. The time of flight degrader 476 isoptionally any material or set of materials and comprises any geometry.Preferably, the time of flight degrader 476 comprises a thin film of:metal or a material consisting essentially of fewer than 12, 10, 7, or 6protons per atom. Optionally, the time of flight degrader 476 comprisesa beryllium or carbon film or a material yielding a secondary emission,such as secondary photons or secondary electrons released from the timeof flight degrader 476 upon the residual charged particle beam 267striking or transmitting through the time of flight degrader 476.Optionally, the second TOF detector 478 detects the secondary emission.As the time of flight degrader 476 potentially redirects the residualcharged particle beam 267 and as the absolute deviation increases withz-axis travel of the residual charged particle beam 267, to reducex/y-position error the time of flight degrader 476 is optionally andpreferably positioned proximate, adjacent, within less than 10, 5, 1, or0.1 mm, and/or in contact with the second TOF detector 478, whichresults in an accurate determination of x/y-position of the residualcharged particle beam 267 for use in determination of the time of flightpathlength and/or an emission point of the residual charged particlebeam 267 from the patient 230. Use of the time of flight degrader 476reduces the first pathlength, b₁, to a third pathlength, b₃, asillustrated.

Referring now to FIG. 4K, the time of flight system 470 is illustratedas a solid-state device. In this example, the first TOF detector 474 ispositioned closer to the patient 230 than at least one of thex/y-position detectors. The configuration of the first ionization stripdetector 410 and the second ionization strip detector 415 positionedbetween the first TOF detector 474 and the second TOF detector 478provides both a separation pathlength and particle slowing materialsbetween the first and second TOF detectors 474, 478. Generally, any ofthe layers/sheets of the time of flight system 470 are layered andsubstantially contacting or are separated by a distance, such as greaterthan 1, 2, 5, or 10 mm.

The inventor notes that use of one or more z-axis energy detectors thatare separate from the x/y-position detection sheets allows theassociated electronics or data acquisition processes for each detectorplane to be specifically tuned for its purpose. For example the x and ypositional tracking planes could be optimized for slower response andhigher spatial resolution, whereas the ‘z’-plane or the time plane wouldbe optimized for the highest temporal resolution, giving up much if notall x-y positional information.

Referring now to FIG. 2 and FIGS. 4(I-K), the first and second TOFdetectors 474, 478 are optionally used with the scintillation material210, such as through positioning the first and second TOF detectors 474,478 between the patient 230 and the scintillation material 210.

Generally, the time of flight system 470 detects time of flight of theresidual charged particle beam 267 and uses the time of flight in theprocess of imaging, such as via beam scanning, beam dispersal, rotation,and/or tomographic imaging of the tumor 220 of the patient 230 with orwithout conversion of the elapsed time between the first and second TOFdetectors 474, 478 into a corresponding energy.

Beam State Determination

Still again to FIG. 4A and referring now to FIG. 4L, the integratedtomography-cancer therapy system 400 is illustrated with an optionalconfiguration of elements of the charged particle beam statedetermination system 250 being co-rotatable with the nozzle system 146of the cancer therapy system 100. More particularly, in one case sheetsof the charged particle beam state determination system 250 positionedprior to, posterior to, or on both sides of the patient 230 co-rotatewith the scintillation material 210 about any axis, such as illustratedwith rotation about the y-axis. Further, any element of the chargedparticle beam state determination system 250, such as a detector,two-dimensional detector, multiple two-dimensional detectors,time-of-flight detector, and/or light coupling optic move as the gantrymoves, such as along a common arc of movement of the nozzle system 146and/or at a fixed distance to the common arc. For instance, as thegantry moves, a monitoring camera positioned on the opposite side of thetumor 220 or patient 230 from the nozzle system 146 maintains a positionon the opposite side of the tumor 220 or patient 230. In various cases,co-rotation is achieved by co-rotation of the gantry of the chargedparticle beam system and a support of the patient, such as the rotatableplatform 253, which is also referred to herein as a movable ordynamically positionable patient platform, patient chair, or patientcouch. Mechanical elements, such as the support element 251 affix thevarious elements of the charged particle beam state determination system250 relative to each other, relative to the nozzle system 146, and/orrelative to the patient 230. For example, the support elements 251maintain a second distance, d₂, between a position of the tumor 220 andthe third sheet 280 and/or maintain a third distance, d₃, between aposition of the third sheet 280 and the scintillation material 210. Moregenerally, support elements 251 optionally dynamically position anyelement about the patient 230 relative to one another or in x,y,z-spacein a patient diagnostic/treatment room, such as via computer control.

Referring now to FIG. 4L, positioning the nozzle system 146 of a gantry490 or gantry system on an opposite side of the patient 230 from adetection surface, such as the scintillation material 210, in a gantrymovement system 480 is described. Generally, in the gantry movementsystem 480, as the gantry 490 rotates about an axis the nozzle/nozzlesystem 146 and/or one or more magnets of the beam transport system 135are repositioned. As illustrated, the nozzle system 146 is positioned bythe gantry 490 in a first position at a first time, t₁, and in a secondposition at a second time, t₂, where n positions are optionallypossible. An electromechanical system, such as a patient table, patientcouch, patient couch, patient rotation device, and/or a scintillationplate holder maintains the patient 230 between the nozzle system 146 andthe scintillation material 210 of the tomography system 200. Similarly,not illustrated for clarity of presentation, the electromechanicalsystem maintains a position of the third sheet 280 and/or a position ofthe fourth sheet 290 on a posterior or opposite side of the patient 230from the nozzle system 146 as the gantry 490 rotates or moves the nozzlesystem 146. Similarly, the electromechanical system maintains a positionof the first sheet 260 or first screen and/or a position of the secondsheet 270 or second screen on a same or prior side of the patient 230from the nozzle system 146 as the gantry 490 rotates or moves the nozzlesystem 146. As illustrated, the electromechanical system optionallypositions the first sheet 260 in the positively charged particle path atthe first time, t₁, and rotates, pivots, and/or slides the first sheet260 out of the positively charged particle path at the second time, t₂.The electromechanical system is optionally and preferably connected tothe main controller 110 and/or the treatment delivery control system112. The electromechanical system optionally maintains a fixed distancebetween: (1) the patient and the nozzle system 146 or the nozzle end,(2) the patient 230 or tumor 220 and the scintillation material 210,and/or (3) the nozzle system 146 and the scintillation material 210 at afirst treatment time with the gantry 490 in a first position and at asecond treatment time with the gantry 490 in a second position. Use of acommon charged particle beam path for both imaging and cancer treatmentand/or maintaining known or fixed distances between beam transport/guideelements and treatment and/or detection surface enhances precisionand/or accuracy of a resultant image and/or tumor treatment, such asdescribed supra.

System Integration

Any of the systems and/or elements described herein are optionallyintegrated together and/or are optionally integrated with known systems.

Treatment Delivery Control System

Referring now to FIG. 5, a centralized charged particle treatment system500 is illustrated. Generally, once a charged particle therapy plan isdevised, a central control system or treatment delivery control system112 is used to control sub-systems while reducing and/or eliminatingdirect communication between major subsystems. Generally, the treatmentdelivery control system 112 is used to directly control multiplesubsystems of the cancer therapy system without direct communicationbetween selected subsystems, which enhances safety, simplifies qualityassurance and quality control, and facilitates programming. For example,the treatment delivery control system 112 directly controls one or moreof: an imaging system, a positioning system, an injection system, aradio-frequency quadrupole system, a linear accelerator, a ringaccelerator or synchrotron, an extraction system, a beam line, anirradiation nozzle, a gantry, a display system, a targeting system, anda verification system. Generally, the control system integratessubsystems and/or integrates output of one or more of the abovedescribed cancer therapy system elements with inputs of one or more ofthe above described cancer therapy system elements.

Still referring to FIG. 5, an example of the centralized chargedparticle treatment system 1000 is provided. Initially, a doctor, such asan oncologist, prescribes 510 or recommends tumor therapy using chargedparticles. Subsequently, treatment planning 520 is initiated and outputof the treatment planning step 520 is sent to an oncology informationsystem 530 and/or is directly sent to the treatment delivery system 112,which is an example of the main controller 110.

Still referring to FIG. 5, the treatment planning step 520 is furtherdescribed. Generally, radiation treatment planning is a process where ateam of oncologist, radiation therapists, medical physicists, and/ormedical dosimetrists plan appropriate charged particle treatment of acancer in a patient. Typically, one or more imaging systems 170 are usedto image the tumor and/or the patient, described infra. Planning isoptionally: (1) forward planning and/or (2) inverse planning. Cancertherapy plans are optionally assessed with the aid of a dose-volumehistogram, which allows the clinician to evaluate the uniformity of thedose to the tumor and surrounding healthy structures. Typically,treatment planning is almost entirely computer based using patientcomputed tomography data sets using multimodality image matching, imageco-registration, or fusion.

Forward Planning

In forward planning, a treatment oncologist places beams into aradiotherapy treatment planning system including: how many radiationbeams to use and which angles to deliver each of the beams from. Thistype of planning is used for relatively simple cases where the tumor hasa simple shape and is not near any critical organs.

Inverse Planning

In inverse planning, a radiation oncologist defines a patient's criticalorgans and tumor and gives target doses and importance factors for each.Subsequently, an optimization program is run to find the treatment planwhich best matches all of the input criteria.

Oncology Information System

Still referring to FIG. 5, the oncology information system 530 isfurther described. Generally, the oncology information system 530 is oneor more of: (1) an oncology-specific electronic medical record, whichmanages clinical, financial, and administrative processes in medical,radiation, and surgical oncology departments; (2) a comprehensiveinformation and image management system; and (3) a complete patientinformation management system that centralizes patient data; and (4) atreatment plan provided to the charged particle beam system 100, maincontroller 110, and/or the treatment delivery control system 112.Generally, the oncology information system 530 interfaces withcommercial charged particle treatment systems.

Safety System/Treatment Delivery Control System

Still referring to FIG. 5, the treatment delivery control system 112 isfurther described. Generally, the treatment delivery control system 112receives treatment input, such as a charged particle cancer treatmentplan from the treatment planning step 520 and/or from the oncologyinformation system 530 and uses the treatment input and/or treatmentplan to control one or more subsystems of the charged particle beamsystem 100. The treatment delivery control system 112 is an example ofthe main controller 110, where the treatment delivery control systemreceives subsystem input from a first subsystem of the charged particlebeam system 100 and provides to a second subsystem of the chargedparticle beam system 100: (1) the received subsystem input directly, (2)a processed version of the received subsystem input, and/or (3) acommand, such as used to fulfill requisites of the treatment planningstep 520 or direction of the oncology information system 530. Generally,most or all of the communication between subsystems of the chargedparticle beam system 100 go to and from the treatment delivery controlsystem 112 and not directly to another subsystem of the charged particlebeam system 100. Use of a logically centralized treatment deliverycontrol system has many benefits, including: (1) a single centralizedcode to maintain, debug, secure, update, and to perform checks on, suchas quality assurance and quality control checks; (2) a controlledlogical flow of information between subsystems; (3) an ability toreplace a subsystem with only one interfacing code revision; (4) roomsecurity; (5) software access control; (6) a single centralized controlfor safety monitoring; and (7) that the centralized code results in anintegrated safety system 540 encompassing a majority or all of thesubsystems of the charged particle beam system 100. Examples ofsubsystems of the charged particle cancer therapy system 100 include: aradio frequency quadrupole 550, a radio frequency quadrupole linearaccelerator, the injection system 120, the synchrotron 130, theaccelerator system 131, the extraction system 134, any controllable ormonitorable element of the beam line 268, the targeting/delivery system140, the nozzle system 146, a gantry 560 or an element of the gantry560, the patient interface module 150, a patient positioner 152, thedisplay system 160, the imaging system 170, a patient positionverification system 179, any element described supra, and/or anysubsystem element. A treatment change 570 at time of treatment isoptionally computer generated with or without the aid of a technician orphysician and approved while the patient is still in the treatment room,in the treatment chair, and/or in a treatment position.

Integrated Cancer Treatment—Imaging System

One or more imaging systems 170 are optionally used in a fixed positionin a cancer treatment room and/or are moved with a gantry system, suchas a gantry system supporting: a portion of the beam transport system135, the targeting/delivery control system 140, and/or moving orrotating around a patient positioning system, such as in the patientinterface module. Without loss of generality and to facilitatedescription of the invention, examples follow of an integrated cancertreatment-imaging system. In each system, the beam transport system 135and/or the nozzle system 146 indicates a positively charged beam path,such as from the synchrotron, for tumor treatment and/or for tomography,as described supra.

Example I

Referring now to FIG. 6A, a first example of an integrated cancertreatment-imaging system 600 is illustrated. In this example, thecharged particle beam system 100 is illustrated with a treatment beam269 directed to the tumor 220 of the patient 230 along the z-axis. Alsoillustrated is a set of imaging sources 610, imaging system elements,and/or paths therefrom and a set of detectors 620 corresponding to arespective element of the set of imaging sources 610. Herein, the set ofimaging sources 610 are referred to as sources, but are optionally anypoint or element of the beam train prior to the tumor or a center pointabout which the gantry rotates. Hence, a given imaging source isoptionally a dispersion element used to form cone beam. As illustrated,a first imaging source 612 yields a first beam path 632 and a secondimaging source 614 yields a second beam path 634, where each path passesat least into the tumor 220 and optionally and preferably to a firstdetector array 622 and a second detector array 624, respectively, of theset of detectors 620. Herein, the first beam path 632 and the secondbeam path 634 are illustrated as forming a ninety degree angle, whichyields complementary images of the tumor 220 and/or the patient 230.However, the formed angle is optionally any angle from ten to threehundred fifty degrees. Herein, for clarity of presentation, the firstbeam path 632 and the second beam path 634 are illustrated as singlelines, which optionally is an expanding, uniform diameter, or focusingbeam. Herein, the first beam path 632 and the second beam path 634 areillustrated in transmission mode with their respective sources anddetectors on opposite sides of the patient 230. However, a beam pathfrom a source to a detector is optionally a scattered path and/or adiffuse reflectance path. Optionally, one or more detectors of the setof detectors 620 are a single detector element, a line of detectorelements, or preferably a two-dimensional detector array. Use of twotwo-dimensional detector arrays is referred to herein as atwo-dimensional-two-dimensional imaging system or a 2D-2D imagingsystem.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, the first imaging source 612 and the secondimaging source 614 are illustrated at a first position and a secondposition, respectively. Each of the first imaging source 612 and thesecond imaging source 614 optionally: (1) maintain a fixed position; (2)provide the first beam path(s) 632 and the second beam path(s) 634,respectively, such as to an imaging system detector 620 or through thegantry 490, such as through a set of one or more holes or slits; (3)provide the first beam path 632 and the second beam path 634,respectively, off axis to a plane of movement of the nozzle system 146;(4) move with the gantry 490 as the gantry 490 rotates about at least afirst axis; (5) move with a secondary imaging system independent ofmovement of the gantry, as described supra; and/or (6) represent anarrow cross-diameter section of an expanding cone beam path.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, the set of detectors 620 are illustrated ascoupling with respective elements of the set of sources 610. Each memberof the set of detectors 620 optionally and preferably co-moves/and/orco-rotates with a respective member of the set of sources 610. Thus, ifthe first imaging source 612 is statically positioned, then the firstdetector 622 is optionally and preferably statically positioned.Similarly, to facilitate imaging, if the first imaging source 612 movesalong a first arc as the gantry 490 moves, then the first detector 622optionally and preferably moves along the first arc or a second arc asthe gantry 490 moves, where relative positions of the first imagingsource 612 on the first arc, a point that the gantry 490 moves about,and relative positions of the first detector 622 along the second arcare constant. To facilitate the process, the detectors are optionallymechanically linked, such as with a mechanical support to the gantry 643in a manner that when the gantry 490 moves, the gantry moves both thesource and the corresponding detector. Optionally, the source moves anda series of detectors, such as along the second arc, capture a set ofimages. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the first imaging source 612, thefirst detector array 622, the second imaging source 614, and the seconddetector array 624 are coupled to a rotatable imaging system support642, which optionally rotates independently of the gantry 490 as furtherdescribed infra. As illustrated in FIG. 6B, the first imaging source612, the first detector array 622, the second imaging source 614, andthe second detector array 624 are coupled to the gantry 490, which inthis case is a rotatable gantry.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, optionally and preferably, elements of theset of sources 610 combined with elements of the set of detectors 620are used to collect a series of responses, such as one source and onedetector yielding a detected intensity and rotatable imaging systemsupport 642 preferably a set of detected intensities to form an image.For instance, the first imaging source 612, such as a first X-ray sourceor first cone beam X-ray source, and the first detector 622, such as anX-ray film, digital X-ray detector, or two-dimensional detector, yield afirst X-ray image of the patient at a first time and a second X-rayimage of the patient at a second time, such as to confirm a maintainedlocation of a tumor or after movement of the gantry and/or nozzle system146 or rotation of the patient 230. A set of n images using the firstimaging source 612 and the first detector 622 collected as a function ofmovement of the gantry and/or the nozzle system 146 supported by thegantry and/or as a function of movement and/or rotation of the patient230 are optionally and preferably combined to yield a three-dimensionalimage of the patient 230, such as a three-dimensional X-ray image of thepatient 230, where n is a positive integer, such as greater than 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, or 100. The set of n images is optionallygathered as described in combination with images gathered using thesecond imaging source 614, such as a second X-ray source or second conebeam X-ray source, and the second detector 624, such as a second X-raydetector, where the use of two, or multiple, source/detectorcombinations are combined to yield images where the patient 230 has notmoved between images as the two, or the multiple, images are optionallyand preferably collected at the same time, such as with a difference intime of less than 0.01, 0.1, 1, or 5 seconds. Longer time differencesare optionally used. Preferably the n two-dimensional images arecollected as a function of rotation of the gantry 490 about the tumorand/or the patient and/or as a function of rotation of the patient 230and the two-dimensional images of the X-ray cone beam are mathematicallycombined to form a three-dimensional image of the tumor 220 and/or thepatient 230. Optionally, the first X-ray source and/or the second X-raysource is the source of X-rays that are divergent forming a cone throughthe tumor. A set of images collected as a function of rotation of thedivergent X-ray cone around the tumor with a two-dimensional detectorthat detects the divergent X-rays transmitted through the tumor is usedto form a three-dimensional X-ray of the tumor and of a portion of thepatient, such as in X-ray computed tomography.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, use of two imaging sources and two detectorsset at ninety degrees to one another allows the gantry 490 or thepatient 230 to rotate through half an angle required using only oneimaging source and detector combination. A third imaging source/detectorcombination allows the three imaging source/detector combination to beset at sixty degree intervals allowing the imaging time to be cut tothat of one-third that gantry 490 or patient 230 rotation required usinga single imaging source-detector combination. Generally, nsource-detector combinations reduces the time and/or the rotationrequirements to 1/n. Further reduction is possible if the patient 230and the gantry 490 rotate in opposite directions. Generally, the used ofmultiple source-detector combination of a given technology allow for agantry that need not rotate through as large of an angle, with dramaticengineering benefits.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, the set of sources 610 and set of detectors620 optionally use more than one imaging technology. For example, afirst imaging technology uses X-rays, a second used fluoroscopy, a thirddetects fluorescence, a fourth uses cone beam computed tomography orcone beam CT, and a fifth uses other electromagnetic waves. Optionally,the set of sources 610 and the set of detectors 620 use two or moresources and/or two or more detectors of a given imaging technology, suchas described supra with two X-ray sources to n X-ray sources.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, use of one or more of the set of sources 610and use of one or more of the set of detectors 620 is optionally coupledwith use of the positively charged particle tomography system describedsupra. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the positively charged particletomography system uses a second mechanical support 643 to co-rotate thescintillation material 210 with the gantry 490, as well as to co-rotatean optional sheet, such as the first sheet 260 and/or the fourth sheet290.

Example II

Referring now to FIG. 6B, a second example of the integrated cancertreatment-imaging system 600 is illustrated using greater than threeimagers.

Still referring to FIG. 6B, two pairs of imaging systems areillustrated. Particularly, the first and second imaging source 612, 614coupled to the first and second detectors 622, 624 are as describedsupra. For clarity of presentation and without loss of generality, thefirst and second imaging systems are referred to as a first X-rayimaging system and a second X-ray imaging system. The second pair ofimaging systems uses a third imaging source 616 coupled to a thirddetector 626 and a fourth imaging source 618 coupled to a fourthdetector 628 in a manner similar to the first and second imaging systemsdescribed in the previous example. Here, the second pair of imagingsystems optionally and preferably uses a second imaging technology, suchas fluoroscopy. Optionally, the second pair of imaging systems is asingle unit, such as the third imaging source 616 coupled to the thirddetector 626, and not a pair of units. Optionally, one or more of theset of imaging sources 610 are statically positioned while one of moreof the set of imaging sources 610 co-rotate with the gantry 490. Pairsof imaging sources/detector optionally have common and distinctdistances, such as a first distance, d₁, such as for a firstsource-detector pair and a second distance, d₂, such as for a secondsource-detector or second source-detector pair. As illustrated, thetomography detector or the scintillation material 210 is at a thirddistance, d₃. The distinct differences allow the source-detectorelements to rotate on a separate rotation system at a rate differentfrom rotation of the gantry 490, which allows collection of a fullthree-dimensional image while tumor treatment is proceeding with thepositively charged particles.

Example III

For clarity of presentation, referring now to FIG. 6C, any of the beamsor beam paths described herein is optionally a cone beam 690 asillustrated. The patient support 152 is an mechanical and/orelectromechanical device used to position, rotate, and/or constrain anyportion of the tumor 220 and/or the patient 230 relative to any axis.

Tomography Detector System

A tomography system optically couples the scintillation material to adetector. As described, supra, the tomography system optionally andpreferably uses one or more detection sheets, beam tracking elements,and/or tracking detectors to determine/monitor the charged particle beamposition, shape, and/or direction in the beam path prior to and/orposterior to the sample, imaged element, patient, or tumor. Herein,without loss of generality, the detector is described as a detectorarray or two-dimensional detector array positioned next to thescintillation material; however, the detector array is optionallyoptically coupled to the scintillation material using one or moreoptics. Optionally and preferably, the detector array is a component ofan imaging system that images the scintillation material 210, where theimaging system resolves an origin volume or origin position on a viewingplane of the secondary photon emitted resultant from passage of theresidual charged particle beam 267. As described, infra, more than onedetector array is optionally used to image the scintillation material210 from more than one direction, which aids in a three-dimensionalreconstruction of the photonic point(s) of origin, positively chargedparticle beam path, and/or tomographic image.

Imaging

Generally, medical imaging is performed using an imaging apparatus togenerate a visual and/or a symbolic representation of an interiorconstituent of the body for diagnosis, treatment, and/or as a record ofstate of the body. Typically, one or more imaging systems are used toimage the tumor and/or the patient. For example, the X-ray imagingsystem and/or the positively charged particle imaging system, describedsupra, are optionally used individually, together, and/or with anyadditional imaging system, such as use of X-ray radiography, magneticresonance imaging, medical ultrasonography, thermography, medicalphotography, positron emission tomography (PET) system, single-photonemission computed tomography (SPECT), and/or another nuclear/chargedparticle imaging technique.

As part of an imaging system, time-of-flight of the residual chargedparticle beam is optionally used to determine the residualenergy/velocity of the charged particle beam after passing through thepatient along with knowledge of the charged particle beam energyentering the patient to map/image internal constituents/components ofthe patient. For example, a first time-of-flight detection panel is usedto determine when a charged particle reaches the first detection paneland a second time-of-flight detection panel is used to determine whenthe charged particle reaches the second detection panel, where the twodetection panels are positioned on an opposite side of a patientposition relative to the exit nozzle 146. The distance between detectionpanel elements detecting the charged particle and the elapsed time isused to determine velocity/energy of the charged particle. Optionally, aparticle decelerator, such as a metal film, an electron emitting film,and/or a beryllium sheet is used to slow the charged particle betweenthe first and second time-of-flight detection panels and/or as a currentemitting element of the second time-of-flight detection panel to bringelapsed times down from the picosecond and/or nanosecond time period toa more readily measured time interval of millisecond or microseconds.

Fiducial Marker

Fiducial markers and fiducial detectors are optionally used to locate,target, track, avoid, and/or adjust for objects in a treatment room thatmove relative to the nozzle or nozzle system 146 of the charged particlebeam system 100 and/or relative to each other. Herein, for clarity ofpresentation and without loss of generality, fiducial markers andfiducial detectors are illustrated in terms of a movable or staticallypositioned treatment nozzle and a movable or static patient position.However, generally, the fiducial markers and fiducial detectors are usedto mark and identify position, or relative position, of any object in atreatment room, such as a cancer therapy treatment room 922. Herein, afiducial indicator refers to either a fiducial marker or a fiducialdetector. Herein, photons travel from a fiducial marker to a fiducialdetector.

Herein, fiducial refers to a fixed basis of comparison, such as a pointor a line. A fiducial marker or fiducial is an object placed in thefield of view of an imaging system, which optionally appears in agenerated image or digital representation of a scene, area, or volumeproduced for use as a point of reference or as a measure. Herein, afiducial marker is an object placed on, but not into, a treatment roomobject or patient. Particularly, herein, a fiducial marker is not animplanted device in a patient. In physics, fiducials are referencepoints: fixed points or lines within a scene to which other objects canbe related or against which objects can be measured. Fiducial markersare observed using a sighting device for determining directions ormeasuring angles, such as an alidade or in the modern era a digitaldetection system. Two examples of modern position determination systemsare the Passive Polaris Spectra System and the Polaris Vicra System(NDI, Ontario, Canada).

Referring now to FIG. 7A, use of a fiducial marker system 700 isdescribed. Generally, a fiducial marker is placed 710 on an object,light from the fiducial marker is detected 730, relative objectpositions are determined 740, and a subsequent task is performed, suchas treating a tumor 770. For clarity of presentation and without loss ofgenerality, non-limiting examples of uses of fiducial markers incombination with X-ray and/or positively charged particle tomographicimaging and/or treatment using positively charged particles areprovided, infra.

Example I

Referring now to FIG. 8, a fiducial marker aided tomography system 800is illustrated and described. Generally, a set of fiducial markerdetectors 820 detects photons emitted from and/or reflected off of a setof fiducial markers 810 and resultant determined distances andcalculated angles are used to determine relative positions of multipleobjects or elements, such as in the treatment room 922.

Still referring to FIG. 8, initially, a set of fiducial markers 810 areplaced on one or more elements. As illustrated, a first fiducial marker811, a second fiducial marker 812, and a third fiducial marker 813 arepositioned on a first, preferably rigid, support element 852. Asillustrated, the first support element 852 supports a scintillationmaterial 210. As each of the first, second, and third fiducial markers811, 812, 813 and the scintillation material 210 are affixed orstatically positioned onto the first support element 852, the relativeposition of the scintillation material 210 is known, based on degrees offreedom of movement of the first support element, if the positions ofthe first fiducial marker 811, the second fiducial marker 812, and/orthe third fiducial marker 813 is known. In this case, one or moredistances between the first support element 852 and a third supportelement 856 are determined, as further described infra.

Still referring to FIG. 8, a set of fiducial detectors 820 are used todetect light emitted from and/or reflected off one or more fiducialmarkers of the set of fiducial markers 810. As illustrated, ambientphotons 821 and/or photons from an illumination source reflect off ofthe first fiducial marker 811, travel along a first fiducial path 831,and are detected by a first fiducial detector 821 of the set of fiducialdetectors 820. In this case, a first signal from the first fiducialdetector 821 is used to determine a first distance to the first fiducialmarker 811. If the first support element 852 supporting thescintillation material 210 only translates, relative to the nozzlesystem 146, along the z-axis, the first distance is sufficientinformation to determine a location of the scintillation material 210,relative to the nozzle system 146. Similarly, photons emitted, such asfrom a light emitting diode embedded into the second fiducial marker 812travel along a second fiducial path 832 and generate a second signalwhen detected by a second fiducial detector 822, of the set of fiducialdetectors 820. The second signal is optionally used to confirm positionof the first support element 852, reduce error of a determined positionof the first support element 852, and/or is used to determine extent ofa second axis movement of the first support element 852, such as tilt ofthe first support element 852. Similarly, photons passing from the thirdfiducial marker 813 travel along a third fiducial path 833 and generatea third signal when detected by a third fiducial detector 823, of theset of fiducial detectors 820. The third signal is optionally used toconfirm position of the first support element 852, reduce error of adetermined position of the first support element 852, and/or is used todetermine extent of a second or third axis movement of the first supportelement 852, such as rotation of the first support element 852.

If all of the movable elements within the treatment room 922 movetogether, then determination of a position of one, two, or threefiducial markers, dependent on degrees of freedom of the movableelements, is sufficient to determine a position of all of the co-movablemovable elements. However, optionally two or more objects in thetreatment room 922 move independently or semi-independently from oneanother. For instance, a first movable object optionally translates,tilts, and/or rotates relative to a second movable object. One or moreadditional fiducial markers of the set of fiducial markers 810 placed oneach movable object allows relative positions of each of the movableobjects to be determined.

Still referring to FIG. 8, a position of the patient 230 is determinedrelative to a position of the scintillation material 210. Asillustrated, a second support element 854 positioning the patient 230optionally translates, tilts, and/or rotates relative to the firstsupport element 852 positioning the scintillation material 210. In thiscase, a fourth fiducial marker 814, attached to the second supportelement 854 allows determination of a current position of the patient230. As illustrated, a position of a single fiducial element, the fourthfiducial marker 814, is determined by the first fiducial detector 821determining a first distance to the fourth fiducial marker 814 and thesecond fiducial detector 822 determining a second distance to the fourthfiducial marker 814, where a first arc of the first distance from thefirst fiducial detector 821 and a second arc of the second distance fromthe second fiducial detector 822 overlap at a point of the fourthfiducial marker 834 marking the position of the second support element852 and the supported position of the patient 230. Combined with theabove described system of determining location of the scintillationmaterial 210, the relative position of the scintillation material 210 tothe patient 230, and thus the tumor 220, is determined.

Still referring to FIG. 8, one fiducial marker and/or one fiducialdetector is optionally and preferably used to determine more than onedistance or angle to one or more objects. In a first case, asillustrated, light from the fourth fiducial marker 814 is detected byboth the first fiducial detector 821 and the second fiducial detector822. In a second case, as illustrated, light detected by the firstfiducial detector 821, passes from the first fiducial marker 811 and thefourth fiducial marker 814. Thus, (1) one fiducial marker and twofiducial detectors are used to determine a position of an object, (2)two fiducial markers on two elements and one fiducial detector is usedto determine relative distances of the two elements to the singledetector, and/or as illustrated and described below in relation to FIG.10A, and/or (3) positions of two or more fiducial markers on a singleobject are detected using a single fiducial detector, where the distanceand orientation of the single object is determined from the resultantsignals. Generally, use of multiple fiducial markers and multiplefiducial detectors are used to determine or overdetermined positions ofmultiple objects, especially when the objects are rigid, such as asupport element, or semi-rigid, such as a person, head, torso, or limb.

Still referring to FIG. 8, the fiducial marker aided tomography system800 is further described. As illustrated, the set of fiducial detectors820 are mounted onto the third support element 856, which has a knownposition and orientation relative to the nozzle system 146. Thus,position and orientation of the nozzle system 146 is known relative tothe tumor 220, the patient 230, and the scintillation material 210through use of the set of fiducial markers 810, as described supra.Optionally, the main controller 110 uses inputs from the set of fiducialdetectors 820 to: (1) dictate movement of the patient 230 or operator;(2) control, adjust, and/or dynamically adjust position of any elementwith a mounted fiducial marker and/or fiducial detector, and/or (3)control operation of the charged particle beam, such as for imagingand/or treating or performing a safety stop of the positively chargedparticle beam. Further, based on past movements, such as the operatormoving across the treatment room 922 or relative movement of twoobjects, the main controller is optionally and preferably used toprognosticate or predict a future conflict between the treatment beam269 and the moving object, in this case the operator, and takeappropriate action or to prevent collision of the two objects.

Example II

Referring now to FIG. 9, a fiducial marker aided treatment system 3400is described. To clarify the invention and without loss of generality,this example uses positively charged particles to treat a tumor.However, the methods and apparatus described herein apply to imaging asample, such as described supra.

Still referring to FIG. 9, four additional cases of fiducialmarker-fiducial detector combinations are illustrated. In a first case,photons from the first fiducial marker 811 are detected using the firstfiducial detector 821, as described in the previous example. However,photons from a fifth fiducial marker 815 are blocked and prevented fromreaching the first fiducial detector 821 as a sixth fiducial path 836 isblocked, in this case by the patient 230. The inventor notes that theabsence of an expected signal, disappearance of a previously observedsignal with the passage of time, and/or the emergence of a new signaleach add information on existence and/or movement of an object. In asecond case, photons from the fifth fiducial marker 815 passing along aseventh fiducial path 837 are detected by the second fiducial detector822, which illustrates one fiducial marker yielding a blocked andunblocked signal usable for finding an edge of a flexible element or anelement with many degrees of freedom, such as a patient's hand, arm, orleg. In a third case, photons from the fifth fiducial marker 815 and asixth fiducial marker 816, along the seventh fiducial path 837 and aneighth fiducial path 838 respectively, are detected by the secondfiducial detector 822, which illustrates that one fiducial detectoroptionally detects signals from multiple fiducial markers. In this case,photons from the multiple fiducial sources are optionally of differentwavelengths, occur at separate times, occur for different overlappingperiods of time, and/or are phase modulated. In a fourth case, a seventhfiducial marker 817 is affixed to the same element as a fiducialdetector, in this case the front surface plane of the third supportelement 856. Also, in the fourth case, a fourth fiducial detector 824,observing photons along a ninth fiducial path 839, is mounted to afourth support element 858, where the fourth support element 858positions the patient 230 and tumor 220 thereof and/or is attached toone or more fiducial source elements.

Still referring to FIG. 9 the fiducial marker aided treatment system 900is further described. As described, supra, the set of fiducial markers810 and the set of fiducial detectors 820 are used to determine relativelocations of objects in the treatment room 922, which are the thirdsupport element 856, the fourth support element 858, the patient 230,and the tumor 220 as illustrated. Further, as illustrated, the thirdsupport element 856 comprises a known physical position and orientationrelative to the nozzle system 146. Hence, using signals from the set offiducial detectors 820, representative of positions of the fiducialmarkers 810 and room elements, the main controller 110 controls thetreatment beam 269 to target the tumor 220 as a function of time,movement of the nozzle system 146, and/or movement of the patient 230.

Example III

Referring now to FIG. 10A, a fiducial marker aided treatment room system1000 is described. Without loss of generality and for clarity ofpresentation, a zero vector 1001 is a vector or line emerging from thenozzle system 146 when the first axis controller 143, such as a verticalcontrol, and the second axis controller 144, such as a horizontalcontrol, of the scanning system 140 is turned off. Without loss ofgenerality and for clarity of presentation, a zero point 1002 is a pointon the zero vector 1001 at a plane of an exit face the nozzle system146. Generally, a defined point and/or a defined line are used as areference position and/or a reference direction and fiducial markers aredefined in space relative to the point and/or line.

Six additional cases of fiducial marker-fiducial detector combinationsare illustrated to further describe the fiducial marker aided treatmentroom system 1000. In a first case, the patient 230 position isdetermined. Herein, a first fiducial marker 811 marks a position of apatient positioning system 1350 and a second fiducial marker 812 marks aposition of a portion of skin of the patient 230, such as a limb, joint,and/or a specific position relative to the tumor 220. In a second case,multiple fiducial markers of the set of fiducial markers 810 andmultiple fiducial detectors of said set of fiducial detectors 820 areused to determine a position/relative position of a single object, wherethe process is optionally and preferably repeated for each object in thetreatment room 922. As illustrated, the patient 230 is marked with thesecond fiducial marker 812 and a third fiducial marker 813, which aremonitored using a first fiducial detector 821 and a second fiducialdetector 822. In a third case, a fourth fiducial marker 814 marks thescintillation material 210 and a sixth fiducial path 836 illustratesanother example of a blocked fiducial path. In a fourth case, a fifthfiducial marker 815 marks an object not always present in the treatmentroom, such as a wheelchair 1040, walker, or cart. In a sixth case, asixth fiducial marker 816 is used to mark an operator 1050, who ismobile and must be protected from an unwanted irradiation from thenozzle system 146.

Still referring to FIG. 10A, clear field treatment vectors andobstructed field treatment vectors are described. A clear fieldtreatment vector comprises a path of the treatment beam 269 that doesnot intersect a non-standard object, where a standard object includesall elements in a path of the treatment beam 269 used to measure aproperty of the treatment beam 269, such as the first sheet 260, thesecond sheet 270, the third sheet 280, and the fourth sheet 290.Examples of non-standard objects or interfering objects include an armof the patient couch, a back of the patient couch, and/or a supportingbar, such a robot arm. Use of fiducial indicators, such as a fiducialmarker, on any potential interfering object allows the main controller110 to only treat the tumor 220 of the patient 230 in the case of aclear field treatment vector. For example, fiducial markers areoptionally placed along the edges or corners of the patient couch orpatient positioning system or indeed anywhere on the patient couch.Combined with a-priori knowledge of geometry of the non-standard object,the main controller can deduce/calculate presence of the non-standardobject in a current or future clear field treatment vector, forming aobstructed field treatment vector, and perform any of: increasing energyof the treatment beam 269 to compensate, moving the interferingnon-standard object, and/or moving the patient 230 and/or the nozzlesystem 146 to a new position to yield a clear field treatment vector.Similarly, for a given determined clear filed treatment vector, a totaltreatable area, using scanning of the proton beam, for a givennozzle-patient couch position is optionally and preferably determined.Further, the clear field vectors are optionally and preferablypredetermined and used in development of a radiation treatment plan.

Referring again to FIG. 7A, FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10A, generally, oneor more fiducial markers and/or one or more fiducial detectors areattached to any movable and/or statically positioned object/element inthe treatment room 922, which allows determination of relative positionsand orientation between any set of objects in the treatment room 922.

Sound emitters and detectors, radar systems, and/or any range and/ordirectional finding system is optionally used in place of thesource-photon-detector systems described herein.

2D-2D X-Ray Imaging

Still referring to FIG. 10A, for clarity of presentation and withoutloss of generality, a two-dimensional-two-dimensional (2D-2D) X-rayimaging system 1060 is illustrated, which is representative of anysource-sample-detector transmission based imaging system. Asillustrated, the 2D-2D imaging system 1060 includes a 2D-2D source end1062 on a first side of the patient 230 and a 2D-2D detector end 1064 ona second side, an opposite side, of the patient 230. The 2D-2D sourceend 1062 holds, positions, and/or aligns source imaging elements, suchas: (1) one or more imaging sources; (2) the first imaging source 612and the second imaging source 622; and/or (3) a first cone beam X-raysource and a second cone beam X-ray source; while, the 2D-2D detectorend 1064, respectively, holds, positions, and/or aligns: (1) one or moreimaging detectors 1066; (2) a first imaging detector and a secondimaging detector; and/or (3) a first cone beam X-ray detector and asecond cone beam X-ray detector.

In practice, optionally and preferably, the 2D-2D imaging system 1060 asa unit rotates about a first axis around the patient, such as an axis ofthe treatment beam 269, as illustrated at the second time, t₂. Forinstance, at the second time, t₂, the 2D-2D source end 1062 moves up andout of the illustrated plane while the 2D-2D detector end 1064 movesdown and out of the illustrated plane. Thus, the 2D-2D imaging systemmay operate at one or more positions through rotation about the firstaxis while the treatment beam 269 is in operation without interferingwith a path of the treatment beam 269.

Optionally and preferably, the 2D-2D imaging system 1060 does notphysically obstruct the treatment beam 269 or associated residual energyimaging beam from the nozzle system 146. Through relative movement ofthe nozzle system 146 and the 2D-2D imaging system 1060, a mean path ofthe treatment beam 269 and a mean path of X-rays from an X-ray source ofthe 2D-2D imaging system 1060 form an angle from 0 to 90 degrees andmore preferably an angle of greater than 10, 20, 30, or 40 degrees andless than 80, 70, or 60 degrees. Still referring to FIG. 10A, asillustrated at the second time, t₂, the angle between the mean treatmentbeam and the mean X-ray beam is 45 degrees.

The 2D-2D imaging system 1060 optionally rotates about a second axis,such as an axis perpendicular to FIG. 10A and passing through thepatient and/or passing through the first axis. Thus, as illustrated, asthe exit port of the output nozzle system 146 moves along an arc and thetreatment beam 269 enters the patient 230 from another angle, rotationof the 2D-2D imaging system 1060 about the second axis perpendicular toFIG. 10A, the first axis of the 2D-2D imaging system 1060 continues torotate about the first axis, where the first axis is the axis of thetreatment beam 269 or the residual charged particle beam 267 in the caseof imaging with protons.

Optionally and preferably, one or more elements of the 2D-2D X-rayimaging system 1060 are marked with one or more fiducial elements, asdescribed supra. As illustrated, the 2D-2D detector end 1064 isconfigured with a seventh fiducial marker 817 and an eighth fiducialmarker 818 while the 2D-2D source end 1062 is configured with a ninthfiducial marker 819, where any number of fiducial markers are used.

In many cases, movement of one fiducial indicator necessitates movementof a second fiducial indicator as the two fiducial indicators arephysically linked. Thus, the second fiducial indicator is not strictlyneeded, given complex code that computes the relative positions offiducial markers that are often being rotated around the patient 230,translated past the patient 230, and/or moved relative to one or moreadditional fiducial markers. The code is further complicated by movementof non-mechanically linked and/or independently moveable obstructions,such as a first obstruction object moving along a first concentric pathand a second obstruction object moving along a second concentric path.The inventor notes that the complex position determination code isgreatly simplified if the treatment beam path 269 to the patient 230 isdetermined to be clear of obstructions, through use of the fiducialindicators, prior to treatment of at least one of and preferably everyvoxel of the tumor 220. Thus, multiple fiducial markers placed onpotentially obstructing objects simplifies the code and reducestreatment related errors. Typically, treatment zones or treatment conesare determined where a treatment cone from the output nozzle system 146to the patient 230 does not pass through any obstructions based on thecurrent position of all potentially obstructing objects, such as asupport element of the patient couch. As treatment cones overlap, thepath of the treatment beam 269 and/or a path of the residual chargedparticle beam 267 is optionally moved from treatment cone to treatmentcone without use of the imaging/treatment beam continuously as movedalong an arc about the patient 230. A transform of the standardtomography algorithm thus allows physical obstructions to theimaging/treatment beam to be avoided.

Isocenterless System

The inventor notes that a fiducial marker aided imaging system, thefiducial marker aided tomography system 800, and/or the fiducial markeraided treatment system 900 are applicable in a treatment room 922 nothaving a treatment beam isocenter, not having a tumor isocenter, and/oris not reliant upon calculations using and/or reliant upon an isocenter.Further, the inventor notes that all positively charged particle beamtreatment centers in the public view are based upon mathematical systemsusing an isocenter for calculations of beam position and/or treatmentposition and that the fiducial marker aided imaging and treatmentsystems described herein do not need an isocenter and are notnecessarily based upon mathematics using an isocenter, as is furtherdescribed infra. In stark contrast, a defined point and/or a definedline are used as a reference position and/or a reference direction andfiducial markers are defined in space relative to the point and/or line.

Traditionally, the isocenter 263 of a gantry based charged particlecancer therapy system is a point in space about which an output nozzlerotates. In theory, the isocenter 263 is an infinitely small point inspace. However, traditional gantry and nozzle systems are large andextremely heavy devices with mechanical errors associated with eachelement. In real life, the gantry and nozzle rotate around a centralvolume, not a point, and at any given position of the gantry-nozzlesystem, a mean or unaltered path of the treatment beam 269 passesthrough a portion of the central volume, but not necessarily the singlepoint of the isocenter 263. Thus, to distinguish theory and real-life,the central volume is referred to herein as a mechanically definedisocenter volume, where under best engineering practice the isocenterhas a geometric center, the isocenter 263. Further, in theory, as thegantry-nozzle system rotates around the patient, the mean or unalteredlines of the treatment beam 269 at a first and second time, preferablyall times, intersect at a point, the point being the isocenter 263,which is an unknown position. However, in practice the lines passthrough the mechanically identified isocenter volume 1012. The inventornotes that in all gantry supported movable nozzle systems, calculationsof applied beam state, such as energy, intensity, and direction of thecharged particle beam, are calculated using a mathematical assumption ofthe point of the isocenter 263. The inventor further notes, that as inpractice the treatment beam 269 passes through the mechanically definedisocenter volume but misses the isocenter 263, an error exists betweenthe actual treatment volume and the calculated treatment volume of thetumor 220 of the patient 230 at each point in time. The inventor stillfurther notes that the error results in the treatment beam 269: (1) notstriking a given volume of the tumor 220 with the prescribed energyand/or (2) striking tissue outside of the tumor. Mechanically, thiserror cannot be eliminated, only reduced. However, use of the fiducialmarkers and fiducial detectors, as described supra, removes theconstraint of using an unknown position of the isocenter 263 todetermine where the treatment beam 269 is striking to fulfill a doctorprovided treatment prescription as the actual position of the patientpositioning system, tumor 220, and/or patient 230 is determined usingthe fiducial markers and output of the fiducial detectors with no use ofthe isocenter 263, no assumption of an isocenter 263, and/or no spatialtreatment calculation based on the isocenter 263. Rather, a physicallydefined point and/or line, such as the zero point 1002 and/or the zerovector 1001, in conjunction with the fiducials are used to: (1)determine position and/or orientation of objects relative to the pointand/or line and/or (2) perform calculations, such as a radiationtreatment plan.

Referring again to FIG. 7A and referring again to FIG. 10A, optionallyand preferably, the task of determining the relative object positions740 uses a fiducial element, such as an optical tracker, mounted in thetreatment room 922, such as on the gantry or nozzle system, andcalibrated to a “zero” vector 1001 of the treatment beam 269, which isdefined as the path of the treatment beam when electromagnetic and/orelectrostatic steering of one or more final magnets in the beamtransport system 135 and/or an output nozzle system 146 attached to aterminus thereof is/are turned off. The zero vector 1001 is a path ofthe treatment beam 269 when the first axis controller 143, such as avertical control, and the second axis controller 144, such as ahorizontal control, of the scanning system 140 is turned off. A zeropoint 1002 is any point, such as a point on the zero vector 1001.Herein, without loss of generality and for clarity of presentation, thezero point 1002 is a point on the zero vector 1001 crossing a planedefined by a terminus of the nozzle of the nozzle system 146.Ultimately, the use of a zero vector 1001 and/or the zero point 1002 isa method of directly and optionally actively relating the coordinates ofobjects, such as moving objects and/or the patient 230 and tumor 220thereof, in the treatment room 922 to one another; not passivelyrelating them to an imaginary point in space such as a theoreticalisocenter than cannot mechanically be implemented in practice as a pointin space, but rather always as an a isocenter volume, such as anisocenter volume including the isocenter point in a well-engineeredsystem. Examples further distinguish the isocenter based and fiducialmarker based targeting system.

Example I

Referring now to FIG. 10B, an isocenterless system 1005 of the fiducialmarker aided treatment room system 1000 of FIG. 10A is described. Asillustrated, the nozzle/nozzle system 146 is positioned relative to areference element, such as the third support element 856. The referenceelement is optionally a reference fiducial marker and/or a referencefiducial detector affixed to any portion of the nozzle system 146 and/ora rigid, positionally known mechanical element affixed thereto. Aposition of the tumor 220 of the patient 230 is also determined usingfiducial markers and fiducial detectors, as described supra. Asillustrated, at a first time, t₁, a first mean path of the treatmentbeam 269 passes through the isocenter 263. At a second time, t₂,resultant from inherent mechanical errors associated with moving thenozzle system 146, a second mean path of the treatment beam 269 does notpass through the isocenter 263. In a traditional system, this wouldresult in a treatment volume error. However, using the fiducial markerbased system, the actual position of the nozzle system 146 and thepatient 230 is known at the second time, t₂, which allows the maincontroller to direct the treatment beam 269 to the targeted andprescription dictated tumor volume using the first axis controller 143,such as a vertical control, and the second axis controller 144, such asa horizontal control, of the scanning system 140. Again, since theactual position at the time of treatment is known using the fiducialmarker system, mechanical errors of moving the nozzle system 146 areremoved and the x/y-axes adjustments of the treatment beam 269 are madeusing the actual and known position of the nozzle system 146 and thetumor 220, in direct contrast to the x/y-axes adjustments made intraditional systems, which assume that the treatment beam 269 passesthrough the isocenter 263. In essence: (1) the x/y-axes adjustments ofthe traditional targeting systems are in error as the unmodifiedtreatment beam 269 is not passing through the assumed isocenter and (2)the x/y-axes adjustments of the fiducial marker based system know theactual position of the treatment beam 269 relative to the patient 230and the tumor 220 thereof, which allows different x/y-axes adjustmentsthat adjust the treatment beam 269 to treat the prescribed tumor volumewith the prescribed dosage.

Example II

Referring now to FIG. 10C an example is provided that illustrates errorsin an isocenter 263 with a fixed beamline position and a moving patientpositioning system. As illustrated, at a first time, t₁, themean/unaltered treatment beam path 269 passes through the tumor 220, butmisses the isocenter 263. As described, supra, traditional treatmentsystems assume that the mean/unaltered treatment beam path 269 passesthrough the isocenter 263 and adjust the treatment beam to a prescribedvolume of the tumor 220 for treatment, where both the assumed paththrough the isocenter and the adjusted path based on the isocenter arein error. In stark contrast, the fiducial marker system: (1) determinesthat the actual mean/unaltered treatment beam path 269 does not passthrough the isocenter 263, (2) determines the actual path of themean/unaltered treatment beam 269 relative to the tumor 220, and (3)adjusts, using a reference system such as the zero line 1001 and/or thezero point 1002, the actual mean/unaltered treatment beam 269 to strikethe prescribed tissue volume using the first axis controller 143, suchas a vertical control, and the second axis controller 144, such as ahorizontal control, of the scanning system 140. As illustrated, at asecond time, t₂, the mean/unaltered treatment beam path 269 again missesthe isocenter 263 resulting in treatment errors in the traditionalisocenter based targeting systems, but as described, the steps of: (1)determining the relative position of: (a) the mean/unaltered treatmentbeam 269 and (b) the patient 230 and tumor 220 thereof and (2) adjustingthe determined and actual mean/unaltered treatment beam 269, relative tothe tumor 220, to strike the prescribed tissue volume using the firstaxis controller 143, the second axis controller 144, and energy of thetreatment beam 269 are repeated for the second time, t₂, and againthrough the n^(th) treatment time, where n is a positive integer of atleast 5, 10, 50, 100, or 500.

Referring again to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, generally at a first time,objects, such as the patient 230, the scintillation material 210, anX-ray system, and the nozzle system 146 are mapped and relativepositions are determined. At a second time, the position of the mappedobjects is used in imaging, such as X-ray and/or proton beam imaging,and/or treatment, such as cancer treatment. Further, an isocenter isoptionally used or is not used. Still further, the treatment room 922is, due to removal of the beam isocenter knowledge constraint,optionally designed with a static or movable nozzle system 146 inconjunction with any patient positioning system along any set of axes aslong as the fiducial marking system is utilized.

Referring now to FIG. 7B, optional uses of the fiducial marker system700 are described. After the initial step of placing the fiducialmarkers 710, the fiducial markers are optionally illuminated 720, suchas with the ambient light or external light as described above. Lightfrom the fiducial markers is detected 730 and used to determine relativepositions of objects 740, as described above. Thereafter, the objectpositions are optionally adjusted 750, such as under control of the maincontroller 110 and the step of illuminating the fiducial markers 720and/or the step of detecting light from the fiducial markers 730 alongwith the step of determining relative object positions 740 isiteratively repeated until the objects are correctly positioned.Simultaneously or independently, fiducial detectors positions areadjusted 780 until the objects are correctly placed, such as fortreatment of a particular tumor voxel. Using any of the above steps: (1)one or more images are optionally aligned 760, such as a collected X-rayimage and a collected proton tomography image using the determinedpositions; (2) the tumor 220 is treated 770; and/or (3) changes of thetumor 220 are tracked 790 for dynamic treatment changes and/or thetreatment session is recorded for subsequent analysis.

Gantry

Referring now to FIGS. 11-19, a gantry system is described.

Counterweighted Gantry System

Referring now to FIG. 11, a counterweighted gantry system 1100 isdescribed. In the counterweighted gantry system 1100, the gantry 490comprises a counterweight 1120 positioned opposite a gantry rotationaxis 1411 from the nozzle system 146, such as connected by anintervening rotatable gantry support 1210. Ideally, the counterweightresults in no net moment of the gantry-counterweight system about theaxis of rotation of the gantry. In practice, the counterweight mass anddistance forces, herein all elements on one side of the axis or rotationof the gantry, is within 10, 5, 2, 1, 0.1, or 0.01 percent of the massand distance forces of the section of the gantry on the opposite side ofthe axis of rotation of the gantry. Hence, as illustrated at a firsttime, t₁, a first downward force, F₁, resultant from all elements of thegantry 490 on a first side of the gantry rotation axis 1411 and/orisocenter 263 balances, counters, and/or equals a second downward force,F₂, on a second, opposite, side of the gantry rotation axis 1411 and/orisocenter 263. Stated another way, the moment of inertia, a quantityexpressing a body's tendency to resist angular acceleration, of aproduct of masses and the square of distances of objects on a first sideof the gantry rotation axis 1411 resists acceleration of a product ofmasses and the square of distances of objects on a second, opposite,side of the gantry rotation axis 1411. As illustrated at a second time,t₂, despite rotation of the gantry to a second position, a thirddownward force, F₃, and a fourth downward force, F₄, on opposite sidesof the gantry rotation axis 1411 are still balanced. Thus, the systemhas no net moment of inertia. The inventor notes that the balancedsystem greatly reduces drive motor requirements and/or greatly enhancesmovement precision resultant from the smaller net forces and/or appliedforces for movement of the gantry 490. Optionally, gear backlash iscompensated for separately on opposite sides of a meridian position,such as where the beam path through the nozzle system 146 is alignedwith gravity and/or a last movement of the rotatable beamline section138 is against gravity, which results in a reproducible gantry positionin the presence of gear slop/backlash versus gravity.

Example I

Referring now to FIG. 12, for clarity of presentation and without lossof generality, an example of the counterweighted gantry system 1100 isillustrated. As illustrated, first downward, inertial, rotational,and/or gravitational forces on a first side, top side as illustrated, ofthe gantry rotational axis 1411 counters second downward, inertial,rotational, and/or gravitational forces on a second side, bottom side asillustrated, of the gantry rotational axis 1411. To achieve the balancedforces, counterweights 1120 are added to the gantry 490, such as a firstcounterweight 1122, a second counterweight 1124, and/or a counterweightconnector 1126 attached to a rotatable gantry support 1210. Thecounterweights are optionally and preferably elements of a modularinstallation, as further described infra.

Rotation

Still referring to FIG. 12, rotation of the gantry 490 is described.Generally, the rotatable gantry support 1210 is mounted to a supportstructure, not illustrated for clarity of presentation, such as with aset of bearings and/or radial ball bearings. As illustrated, a firstbearing 1211, a second bearing 1212, and a third bearing 1213, guide andsupport movement of the gantry 490. Optionally and preferably, the setof bearings include multiple bearing elements about the rotatable gantrysupport 1210 on a first end of a rotatable beamline section 138 of arotatable beamline support arm 498 of the gantry 490 and a bearing on asecond end of the gantry support arm 498.

Installation

The charged particle beam system 100 is optionally built in: (1) agreenfield, which is an undeveloped or agricultural tract of land thatis a potential site for industrial or urban development or (2) abrownfield, which is an urban area that has previously been built upon.Herein, a built-up brownfield refers to an existing hospital relatedstructure comprising 2, 3, 4, 5 or more stories and a lowest level, suchas a basement.

The class of particle accelerator systems for cancer therapy usingprotons include massive structural elements that are readily installedin a greenfield. However, installation in an existing structure, such asa basement of a building is complicated by the size of individualelements of the charged particle beam system and mass of individualelements of the charged particle beam system. For example, installationof a 300 MeV cyclotron in a four story building requires installation bycrane, removal of the roof, breaking through each floor, setting bycrane the 20+ ton object on the ground floor/basement and then repairingthe floors and roof of the building, which is extremely disruptive,especially in a functioning hospital and/or in the presence of immunesystem compromised patients.

Herein, a system of installation is described, via example, whereelements of the charged particle beam system 100 are installed into abuilt-up brownfield hospital related structure.

Example I

In the installation system, all elements of the charged particle beamsystem 100 are optionally and preferably:

-   -   less than 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 25,000, or 35,000 pounds;    -   transportable on a standard eighteen wheel semi-truck or smaller        truck;    -   moved through the built-up brownfield hospital related structure        using equipment passable through standard hallways and/or        elevators; and/or    -   assembled in a basement and/or ground level of the built-up        brownfield hospital related structure.

For clarity of presentation and without loss of generality, transport ofseveral subsystems of the charged particle beam system 100 are furtherdescribed. A first subsystem, the accelerator and/or beam transportline, is moved as individual magnet assemblies, such as the main bendingmagnets 132. A second subsystem, the gantry 490, is divided for movementinto a first gantry support section 491, a second gantry support section492, a third gantry support section 493, a fourth gantry support section494, and a fifth gantry support section 495, as further described infra.A third subsystem, the rotatable gantry support 1210, is optionally andpreferably assembled from multiple sub-units, such as a first rotatablegantry support element 1215, a second rotatable gantry support element1216, and a third rotatable gantry support element 1217. A fourthsubsystem, the gantry support, is optionally and preferably afree-standing system, which, without a requirement of wall mounting,further described infra, is optionally and preferably assembled insections, such as modular sections. Stated again, an existing brownfieldwall is not a mechanical element required to resist gravitational forcesrelated to the gantry, as further described infra, so the gantry supportstructures are transportable stands. Generally, movement of sub-systemsas sub-assembly components reduces the mass of individual elements to aweight and mass movable through the hallways and/or elevators.

Example II

In a second example, one or more the top five largest components of thecharged particle beam system 100 are transported through an elevatorshaft and/or an elevator car of an elevator. Herein, an elevatorcomprises: (1) a standard existing brownfield passenger in the hospitalrelated facility, such as a standard passenger elevator with capacitiesranging from 1,000 to 6,000 pounds in 500 pound increments or (2) astandard freight elevator, such as a Class A general freight loadingelevator designed to carry goods and not passengers, though passengertransport is not illegal. In each case, the elevators' capacity isrelated to the available floor space and associated elevator shafthorizontal cross-section dimension. In both cases, the load is handledon and off the car platform manually or by means of hand trucks.

Example III

In some designs of the charged particle beam system 100, a bearing isused to guide and support movement of the gantry 490. One or morebearings, such as the third bearing 1213, are quite large to allowwalking access to the treatment room through the bearing, such as foruse with a gantry rotatable 360 degrees about the gantry axis ofrotation, and have a diameter exceeding a horizontal cross-sectiondimension of an elevator shaft. Referring now to FIG. 16B, an optionalconfiguration of the third bearing 1213 is illustrated, where the thirdbearing is assembled from two or more components. As illustrated, thethird bearing 1213 comprises a first bearing section 1610, a secondbearing section 1620, and a third bearing section 1630, where splittingthe bearing into sections allows transport of a large bearing, such asgreater than 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 foot in diameter, through a standardhospital hallway and/or standard passenger elevator shaft, such as viathe elevator car or a crane transport operating the in the elevatorshaft. As illustrated, the third bearing 1213 comprises a first circularsegment or a first arc-to-chord section, a second circular segment or asecond arc-to chord section, and a middle section connecting, such asvia welding and/or bolting, the first circular segment and the secondcircular segment.

Optionally and preferably, one or more cranes and/or overhead transportsystems are permanently installed in and/or about the charged particlebeam system 100, such as in and/or about the treatment room, gantry,and/or accelerator.

Example I

In a first example, as illustrated, a section of the gantry 490supporting the rotational beamline section 138 and the nozzle system 146is optionally and preferably assembled from multiple sub-units, such asa first gantry support section 491, a second gantry support section 492,a third gantry support section 493, a fourth gantry support section 494,and a fifth gantry support section 495.

Several of the sections are further described. The first gantry section491 couples to the rotatable gantry support 1210 using a gantryconnector section 1130. The third gantry section 493, combined with thefourth gantry section 494 and the fifth gantry section 495, provides anaperture through which the rotational beamline section 138 passes and/orcontains the nozzle system 146.

Example II

In a second example, the rotatable gantry support 1210 is optionally andpreferably assembled from multiple sub-units, such as a first rotatablegantry support element 1215, a second rotatable gantry support element1216, and a third rotatable gantry support element 1217.

Example III

In a third example, the counterweighted gantry system 1100 is readilyinstalled into an existing facility. As further described using FIGS.17-19 below, the counterweighted gantry system 1100 is free standing, sothe structure is optionally and preferably a bolt together assembly1250, which allows installation of the unit into an existing structure.

Gantry Rotation

Referring still to FIG. 12 and referring now to FIGS. 13(A-D), rotationof the gantry 490 relative to a rolling floor system 1300, also referredto as a segmented floor, is described, where the segmented sectionsallow for the floor system to contour to a curved surface, changedirection around a roller, and/or spool as further described infra.

Referring still to FIG. 12, as the rotatable beamline support arm 498 ofthe gantry 490 rotates around the gantry rotation axis 1411, therotatable beamline section 138 of the beam transport system 135 is movedaround the gantry rotation axis 1411 and the nozzle system 146,illustrated in FIG. 13 for clarity of presentation, extending from theaperture through the third gantry section 493 rotates around the tumor220, the patient 230, the gantry rotation axis 1411, and/or theisocenter 263. Referring now to FIG. 13A, the nozzle system 146,extending from the aperture through the third gantry section 493,illustrated in FIG. 12, is illustrated in a first position, a horizontalposition, through a movable floor, described infra. Referring now toFIG. 13B, for clarity of presentation, the nozzle system 146 is rotatedfrom the first position illustrated in FIG. 13A at a first time, t₁, toa second position illustrated in FIG. 12 at a second time, t₂, using thegantry 490 Referring still to FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B, the gantry 490,optionally and preferably, rotates the nozzle system 146 from a positionunder the patient 230 through a floor 1310, as described infra, along acurved wall, as described infra, and through a ceiling area, asdescribed infra.

Rolling Floor

Referring still to FIG. 13A, the rolling floor system 1300, alsoreferred to as a rolling wall-floor system, is further described. Therolling floor system 1300 comprises a rolling floor 1320, such as asegmented floor. As illustrated, the rolling floor 1320 comprisessections moving along/past a flat floor section 1322, such as inset intothe floor 1310; a wall section 1324, such as along/inset into a curvedwall section 1340 of a wall; an upper spooler section 1326, such asinto/around/wound around an upper spooler 1332 or upper spool; and alower spooling section 1328, such as into/around a lower spooler 1334 orlower spool. Herein, a spooler is a device, such as a cylinder, on whichan object, such as the segmented floor is wound. A floor movement system1330 optionally includes one or more spoolers, such as the upper spooler1332, the lower spooler 1334, one or more rollers 1336, and/or one ormore spools 1338.

Referring still to FIG. 13A and now to FIG. 13C, the rolling floorsystem 1300 is described relative to a patient positioning system 1350.Generally, the patient positioning system 1350 comprises multipledegrees of freedom for positioning the patient 230 in an x, y, zposition with yaw, tilt, and/or roll, and/or as a function of patientrotation and time. The floor section 1322 of the rolling floor system1300, through which the nozzle system 146 penetrates, passes underneaththe tumor 220 of the patient 230 when the patient 230, positioned by thepatient positioning system 1350, is in a treatment position, such as inthe treatment beam path 269. Similarly, the gantry 490 rotates thenozzle system 146 around the patient 230, such as along a concave orcurved wall section 1340 of the wall and rotates the nozzle system 146in an arc above the patient 230 with continued rotation of the gantry490 and spooling of the linked/physically clocked rolling floor system1300.

The inventor notes that existing gantries, to allow movement of thegantry under the patient, position the patient in space, such as along aplank into a middle of an open chamber ten feet or more off of thefloor, which is distressful to the patient and prevents an operator fromapproaching the patient during treatment. In stark contrast, referringnow to FIG. 13A and FIG. 13D, the rolling floor system 1300 allowspresence of the floor 1310 without a gap and/or hole in the floorthrough which a person could fall and still allows the gantry 490 torotate under the patient 230. More particularly, a nozzle extension 1380integrated into the nozzle system 146 comprises a set of guides 1382 anda set of rollers 1384, where the rollers are in a track 1372 thattransitions from a curved section corresponding to the curved wall to aflat section corresponding to the flat floor 1310. When the gantry 490positions the nozzle system 146 and the correspondingco-rotating/clocked floor system 1300 along the curved wall 1340, therollers 1384 are at a first track position and a first guide position,such as illustrated at a first time, t₁. As the gantry 490 rotates pasta plane of the floor 1310 toward a bottom position at a third time, t₃,the rollers remain in the track, but slide up the guides 1382 to a floorposition 1386. Thus, the patient 230 and/or the operator have acontinuous floor 1310 when the nozzle system 146 penetrates through thefloor with rotation of the gantry 490 under a plane of the floor as theflat section 1322 of the rolling floor continuously fills floor spacevacated by the moving nozzle system 146 and opens up floor space for therotating nozzle system 146 moving with the rotatable beamline supportarm 498 of the gantry 490. Optionally, the nozzle system 146 continuesrotation around the patient 220, such as back up through the floor 1310along an upward curved path 497 with a corresponding upward curved tracksection 1376. Similarly, optionally the nozzle system 146 rotates 360degrees around the patient 230 during use.

Patient Positioning/Imaging

Referring now to FIG. 13A, FIG. 14, and FIG. 15, patient imaging isfurther described.

Referring now to FIG. 13A, a hybrid cancer treatment-imaging system 1400is illustrated, where the imaging system rotates on an optionally andpreferably independently rotatable mount from the second bearing 1212and/or the rotatable gantry support 1210. Referring now to FIG. 14, anexample of the hybrid cancer treatment-imaging system 1400 isillustrated. Generally, the gantry 490, which optionally and preferablysupports the nozzle system 146, rotates around the tumor 220 and/or anisocenter 263. As illustrated, the gantry 490 rotates about a gantryrotation axis 1411, such as using the rotatable gantry support 1210. Inone case, the gantry 490 is supported on a first end by a firstbuttress, wall, or support and on a second end by a second buttress,wall, or support. However, as further described, infra, preferably thegantry 490 is supported using floor based mounts. A fourth optionalrotation track 1214 or bearing and a fifth optional rotation track 1218or bearing coupling the rotatable gantry support and the gantry 490 areillustrated, where the rotation tracks are any mechanical connection.Referring again to FIG. 12, for clarity of presentation, only a portionof the gantry 490 is illustrated to provide visualization of a supportedrotational beamline section 138 of the beam transport system 135 or asection of the beamline between the synchrotron 130 and the patient 230.To further clarify, the gantry 490 is illustrated, at one moment intime, supporting the nozzle system 146 of the beam transport system 135in an orientation resulting in a vertical and downward vector of thetreatment beam 269. As the rotatable gantry support 1210 rotates, thegantry 490, the rotational beamline section 138 of the beam transportline 135, the nozzle system 146 and the treatment beam 269 rotate aboutthe gantry rotation axis 1411, forming a set of treatment beam vectorsoriginating at circumferential positions about tumor 220 or isocentre263 and passing through the tumor 220. Optionally, an X-ray beam path,from an X-ray source, runs through and moves with the nozzle system 146parallel to the treatment beam 269. Prior to, concurrently with,intermittently with, and/or after the tumor 220 is treated with the setof treatment beam vectors, one or more elements of the imaging system170 image the tumor 220 of the patient 230.

Referring again to FIG. 14, the hybrid cancer treatment-imaging system1400 is illustrated with an optional set of rails 1420 and an optionalrotatable imaging system support 1412 that rotates the set of rails1420, where the set of rails 1420 optionally includes n rails where n isa positive integer. Elements of the set of rails 1420 support elementsof the imaging system 170, the patient 230, and/or a patient positioningsystem. The rotatable imaging system support 1412 is optionallyconcentric with the rotatable gantry support 1210. The rotatable gantrysupport 1210 and the rotatable imaging system support 1412 optionally:co-rotate, rotate at the same rotation rate, rotate at different rates,or rotate independently. A reference point 1415 is used to illustratethe case of the rotatable gantry support 1210 remaining in a fixedposition, such as a treatment position at a third time, t₃, and a fourthtime, t₄, while the rotatable imaging system support 1412 rotates theset of rails 1420.

Still referring to FIG. 14, any rail of the set of rails optionallyrotates circumferentially around the x-axis, as further described infra.For instance, the first rail 1422 is optionally rotated as a function oftime with the gantry 490, such as on an opposite side of the nozzlesystem 146 relative to the tumor 220 of the patient 230.

Still referring to FIG. 14, a first rail of the set of rails 1420 isoptionally retracted at a first time, t₁, and extended at a second time,t₂, as is any of the set of rails. Further, any of the set of rails 1420is optionally used to position a source or a detector at any givenextension/retraction point. A second rail 1424 and a third rail 1426 ofthe set of rails 1420 are illustrated. Generally, the second rail 1424and the third rail 1426 are positioned on opposite sides of the patient230, such as a sinister side and a dexter side of the patient 230.Generally, the second rail 1424, also referred to as a source side rail,positions an imaging source system element and the third rail 1426, alsoreferred to as a detector side rail, positions an imaging detectorsystem element on opposite sides of the patient 230. Optionally andpreferably, the second rail 1424 and the third rail 1426 extend andretract together, which keeps a source element mounted, directly orindirectly, on the second rail 1424 opposite the patient 230 from adetector element mounted, directly or indirectly, on the third rail1426. Optionally, the second rail 1424 and the third rail 1426 positionpositron emission detectors for monitoring emissions from the tumor 220and/or the patient 230, as further described infra.

Still referring to FIG. 14, a rotational imaging system 1440 isdescribed. For example, the second rail 1424 is illustrated with: (1) afirst source system element 1441 of a first imaging system, or firstimaging system type, at a first extension position of the second rail1424, which is optically coupled with a first detector system element1451 of the first imaging system on the third rail 1426 and (2) a secondsource system element 1443 of a second imaging system, or second imagingsystem type, at a second extension position of the second rail 1424,which is optically coupled with a second detector system element 1453 ofthe second imaging system on the third rail 1426, which allows the firstimaging system to image the patient 230 in a treatment position and,after translation of the first rail 1424 and the second rail 1426, thesecond imaging system to image the patient 230 in the patient'streatment position. Optionally the first imaging system or primaryimaging system and the second imaging system or secondary imaging systemare supplemented with a tertiary imaging system, which uses any imagingtechnology. Optionally, first signals from the first imaging system arefused with second signals from the second imaging system to: (1) form ahybrid image; (2) correct an image; and/or (3) form a first image usingthe first signals and modified using the second signals or vise-versa.

Still referring to FIG. 14, the second rail 1424 and third rail 1426 areoptionally alternately translated inward and outward relative to thepatient, such as away from the first buttress and toward the firstbuttress, as described infra. In a first case, the second rail 1424 andthe third rail 1426 extend outward on either side of the patient, asillustrated in FIG. 14. Further, in the first case the patient 230 isoptionally maintained in a treatment position, such as in a constrainedlaying position that is not changed between imaging and treatment withthe treatment beam 269. In a second case, the patient 230 is relativelytranslated between the second rail 1424 and the third rail 1426. In thesecond case, the patient is optionally imaged out of the treatment beampath 269. Further, in the second case the patient 230 is optionallymaintained in a treatment orientation, such as in a constrained layingposition that is not changed until after the patient is translated backinto a treatment position and treated. In a third case, the second rail1424 and the third rail 1426 are translated away from the rotatablegantry support 1210 and/or the patient 230 is translated toward therotatable gantry support 1210 to yield movement of the patient 230relative to one or more elements of the first imaging system type orsecond imaging system type. Optionally, images using at least oneimaging system type, such as the first imaging system type, arecollected as a function of the described relative movement of thepatient 230, such as along the x-axis and/or as a function of rotationof the first imaging system type and the second imaging system typearound the x-axis, where the first imaging type and second imagingsystem type use differing types of sources, use differing types ofdetectors, are generally thought of as distinct by those skilled in theart, and/or have differing units of measure. Optionally, the source isemissions from the body, such as a radioactive emission, decay, and/orgamma ray emission, and the second rail 1424 and the third rail 1426position and/or translate one or more emission detectors, such as afirst positron emission detector on a first side of the tumor 220 and asecond positron emission detector on an opposite side of the tumor 220.

Example I

Still referring to FIG. 14, an example of the hybrid cancertreatment-rotational imaging system is illustrated. In one example ofthe hybrid cancer treatment-rotational imaging system, the second rail1424 and third rail 1426 are optionally circumferentially rotated aroundthe patient 230, such as after relative translation of the second rail1424 and third rail 1426 to opposite sides of the patient 230. Asillustrated, the second rail 1424 and third rail 1426 are affixed to therotatable imaging system support 1412, which optionally rotatesindependently of the rotatable gantry support 1210. As illustrated, thefirst source system element 1441 of the first imaging system, such as atwo-dimensional X-ray imaging system, affixed to the second rail 1424and the first detector system element 1451 collect a series ofpreferably digital images, preferably two-dimensional images, as afunction of co-rotation of the second rail 1424 and the third rail 1426around the tumor 220 of the patient 230, which is positioned along thegantry rotation axis 1411 and/or about the isocenter 263 of the chargedparticle beam line in a treatment room. As a function of rotation of therotatable imaging system support 1412 about the gantry rotation axis1411, two-dimensional images are generated, which are combined to form athree-dimensional image, such as in tomographic imaging. Optionally,collection of the two-dimensional images for subsequent tomographicreconstruction are collected: (1) with the patient in a constrainedtreatment position, (2) while the charged particle beam system 100 istreating the tumor 220 of the patient 230 with the treatment beam 269,(3) during positive charged particle beam tomographic imaging, and/or(4) along an imaging set of angles rotationally offset from a set oftreatment angles during rotation of the gantry 490 and/or rotation ofthe patient 230, such as on a patient positioning element of a patientpositioning system.

Optionally, one or more of the imaging systems described herein monitortreatment of the tumor 220 and/or are used as feedback to control thetreatment of the tumor 220 by the treatment beam 269.

Referring to FIG. 15, a combined patient positioning system-imagingsystem 1500 is described. Generally, the combined patient positioningsystem-imaging system 1500 comprises a joint imaging/patient positioningsystem 1510 and a translation/rotation imaging system 1520. The jointimaging/patient positioning system 1510 co-moves or jointly moves thetranslation/rotation imaging system 1520 and the patient 230 as both apatient support 1514 and the translation/rotation imaging system 1520are attached to an end of a robotic arm used to position the patientrelative to a proton treatment beam, as further described infra.

Still referring to FIG. 15, the joint imaging/patient positioning system1500 is further described. The joint imaging/patient positioning system1510 allows movement of the patient 230 along one or more of: an x-axis,a y-axis, and a z-axis. Further, the patient positioning system 1510allows yaw, tilt, and roll of the patient as well as rotation of thepatient 230 relative to a point in space, such as one or more rotationaxes passing through the joint imaging/patient positioning system 1510and/or an isocenter point 263 of a treatment room. For clarity ofpresentation and without loss of generality, all permutations andcombinations of patient movement relative to a treatment proton beamline are illustrated with a base unit 1512, such as affixed to a flooror wall of the treatment room; an attachment unit 1516, of thetranslation/rotation imaging system 1520; and a multi-element roboticarm section 1518 connecting the base unit 1512 and the attachment unit1516.

Still referring to FIG. 15, the translation aspect of thetranslation/rotation imaging system 1520 is further described. Thetranslation/rotation imaging system 1520 comprises a ring or asource-detector rotational positioning unit 1522, an imaging systemsource support 1524, a first imaging source 612, an imaging systemdetector support 1526, and a first detector array 622. The imagingsystem source support 1524 is used to move a source, such as the firstimaging source 612, of the translation/rotation imaging system 1520 andthe detector support 1526 is used to move a detector, such as the firstdetector array 622, of the translation/rotation imaging system 1520. Forclarity of presentation and without loss of generality, the firstimaging source 612 is used to represent any one or more of the imagingsources described herein and the first detector array 622 is used torepresent one or more of the imaging detectors described herein. Asillustrated, in a first case, the imaging source 612, such as an X-raysource, moves past the patient 230 on the imaging system source support1524, such as under control of the main controller 110 directing a motoror drive to move the imaging source 612 along a guide, drive system, orrail. In the illustrated case, the source-detector rotationalpositioning unit 1522 is connected to an element, such as the patientsupport 1514, that is positioned relative to the nozzle system 146and/or treatment beam path 269. However, the source-detector rotationalpositioning unit 1522 is optionally connected to the attachment element1516 or the rotatable imaging system support 1412. Optionally, thepatient support 1514 uses a first electromechanical interface 1532 thatmoves the translation/rotation imaging system 1520 relative to thepatient support 1514 and hence the patient 230. Optionally, the firstelectromechanical interface 1532 is a solid/connected element and asecond electromechanical interface 1534 and a third electromechanicalinterface 1536 are used to move the imaging system source support 1524and the imaging system detector support 1526, respectively, relative tothe patient support 1514 and hence the patient 230.

Referring again to FIG. 14 and still referring to FIG. 15, generally,any mechanical/electromechanical system is used to connect thesource-detector rotational positioning unit 1522 to the attachment unit1516 and/or an intervening connector, such as the patient support 1514or a secondary attachment unit 1540, as further described infra.Notably, the patient support 1514 and/or patient 230 optionally passinto and/or through an aperture through the source-detector rotationalpositioning unit 1522. In practice, any of the first through thirdelectromechanical connectors 1532, 1534, 1536 function to move a firstelement relative to a second element, such as along a track/rail and/orany mechanically guiding system, such as driven by a belt, gear, motor,and/or any motion driving source/system.

Still referring to FIG. 15, optionally, the imaging system sourcesupport 1524 extends/retracts away/toward the attachment unit, whichresults in translation of the X-ray source past the patient 230.Similarly, as illustrated, the first detector array 622, such as antwo-dimensional X-ray detector panel, moves past the patient on theimaging system detector support 1526, such as under control of the maincontroller directing a motor or drive to move the first detector array622, such as an X-ray detector panel, along a guide, drive system, orrail. Optionally, the imaging system detector support 1526extends/retracts away/toward the source-detector rotational positioningunit 1522, which results in translation of the X-ray detector past thepatient 230.

Referring again to FIG. 15, the interface of the translation/rotationimaging system 1520 and the patient support 1514 to the jointimaging/patient positioning system 1510 is described. Essentially, asthe attachment unit 1516 of the joint imaging/patient positioning system1510 is directly connected/physically static relative to both thetranslation/rotation imaging system 1520 and the patient support 1514,as the imaging/patient positioning system 1510 moves the patient support1514 the entire translation/rotation imaging system 1520 moves with thepatient support. Thus, no net difference in position between thetranslation/rotation imaging system 1520 and the patient 230 or patientsupport 1514 results as the joint imaging/patient positioning system1510 positions the patient 230 relative to the positively chargedparticle tumor treatment beam 269 and/or nozzle system 146. However,individual elements of the translation/rotation imaging system 1520 areallowed to move relative to the patient 230, such as in the translationmovements described above and the rotation movements described below.

Referring still to FIG. 15, the imaging source 612 and the firstdetector array 622 rotate around the patient in and out of the page.More precisely, both: (1) the first imaging source 612 and the imagingsystem source support 1524 and (2) the first detector array 622 and theimaging system detector support 1526, while connected to thesource-detector positioning unit, rotate about patient support 1514 andthe patient 230. Just as illustrated in FIG. 14, all of: (1) the firstimaging source 612, (2) the imaging system source support 1524, (3) thefirst detector array 622, and (4) the imaging system detector support1526, optionally and preferably rotate around the patient 230independent of movement of the patient, relative to a current positionof the positively charged particle treatment beam passing through thenozzle system 146, using the imaging/patient positioning system 1510.Generally, the first imaging source 612 and the first detector array 622are positioned at any position from 0 to 360 degrees around the patient230 and/or the first imaging source 612 and the first detector array 622are positioned at any translation position relative to a longitudinalaxis of the patient 230, such as from head to toe.

Integrated Gantry, Patient Positioning, Imaging, and Rolling FloorSystem

Referring now to FIG. 16A, a gantry superstructure 1600 is illustrated.For clarity of presentation and without loss of generality, severalexamples are used to further described the gantry superstructure 1600.

Example I

In a first example, the counterweighted gantry system 1100 and therolling floor system 1300 are illustrated relative to one another. Inthis example, the patient positioning system 1350 is illustrated usingthe hybrid cancer treatment-imaging system 1400 described, supra, wherea patient platform/support 1356 is mounted onto/inside the secondbearing 1212, such as on a nonrotating or minimally rotating element ofthe rotatable imaging system support 1412, where the patient platform1356 is extendable over the flat section 1322 of the rolling floorsystem 1300. Further, an optional single element counterweight extension1126 is illustrated, such as optionally affixed to the firstcounterweight 1122.

Example II

In a second example, the gantry superstructure 1600 is configured as athree hundred sixty degree rotatable gantry system. More particularly,in this example the fifth gantry support section 495 is not used orpresent, which results in a cantilevered gantry arm supported on only afirst end, such as the first gantry support section 491 connected to therotatable gantry support 1210. In this system, the counterweight system1120, connected to a second and preferably opposite side of therotatable gantry support 1210, functions as a counterweight to thegantry support arm 498 and elements supported by the gantry support arm498, such as the rotatable beamline section 138 and the nozzle system146. The cantilevered gantry system is further rotatable about thegantry rotation axis 1411, which is optionally and preferably horizontalor within 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, or 25 degrees of horizontal.

Example III

In a third example of the gantry superstructure 1600, the cantileveredthree hundred sixty degree rotatable gantry system is supported on asingle side of the patient position, such as via use of the first pier1810. The first pier 1810, further described infra, optionally supportsa first floor section 1312, of the floor 1310, to the rotatable gantrysupport side of a beamline path swept by the treatment beam 269 duringrotation of the rotatable gantry support arm 498 through an arc of 10 to360 degrees. The support of the first floor section 1312 passes throughat least a portion of the rotatable gantry support 1210 and/or thesecond bearing 1212 to allow full rotation of the gantry support arm498, such as through an arc exceeding 180, 200, 300, or 359 degrees.More particularly, as the first pier 1810 and supports for the firstfloor section 1312 pass through the rotatable gantry support 1210, themechanical supports do not intersect a volume swept by the rotatablegantry support arm 498 or a side of the rotatable gantry support arm498, such as the inner side of the rotatable gantry support arm 498relative to a central point about which the rotatable gantry support arm498 rotates. The second floor section 1314, of the floor 1310, outsideof the volume swept by the rotatable gantry support arm 498, isoptionally supported by the second pier 1820, further described infra.Combined, the first floor section 1312 and the second floor section1314, such as on opposite sides of the flat floor section 1322 of therolling floor 1320, are supported by support structures, such as thefirst pier 1810 and the second pier 1820, that do not intersect thevolume defined by the gantry support arm 498 at any position of a 360degree rotation.

Example IV

In a fourth example, access to the cantilevered three hundred sixtydegree rotatable gantry system with the split floor is described. Theinventor notes that if a three hundred sixty degree rotatable gantry issupported on both ends of a gantry arm arc, the arc sweeps out a volumewith a hole in the middle, such as sweeping out an egg white volume withan egg yolk as the enclosed, non-gantry arm contacted volume. As aresult, any entranceway for an average sized adult into the treatmentarea, the yolk in the analogy, is either temporarily impeded by thegantry support arm 498 or is through an aperture in a bearing, such asthrough the second bearing 1212 or third bearing 1213. Temporaryimpedance of human exit, such as by a multi-ton gantry support arm 498,is a fire hazard and/or safety hazard. However, the cantilevered 360degree rotatable gantry system described herein, without use of abearing and support on one side/end of the gantry support arm 498, suchas the third bearing 1213 or fifth gantry section 495 as illustrated,allows direct access to the entire floor 1310, such as via any accesspoint/doorway to the second floor section 1314 with subsequent passageacross the rolling floor 1320, the egg white by analogy, to the firstfloor section 1312, the egg yolk by analogy.

Example V

In a fifth example, the patient positioning system 1350 is mounted tothe second floor section 1314 to reduce mass positioned on the firstfloor section 1312, supported through the rotatable gantry support 1210.

Example VI

In a sixth example, the accelerator is positioned below the gantry 490,which reduces the footprint of the combined accelerator and gantry.Optionally, the beam transport system 135 from the accelerator, such asthe synchrotron 130 positioned below the gantry 490, transports thepositively charged particles upwards and through a section of therotatable gantry support 1210. Optionally, the volume swept by therotatable gantry arm 498 passed within a volume radiallycircumferentially encircled by the synchrotron 130, which furtherreduces space and still give full access to all elements of thesynchrotron 130 and the gantry 490.

Example VII

In a seventh example, the rolling floor 1320 forms a continuous loop inthe cantilevered three hundred sixty degree rotatable gantry system.

Example VIII

In an eighth example, an actual position of the cantilevered rotatablegantry system is monitored, determined, and/or confirmed using thefiducial indicators 2040, described, infra, such as a fiducial sourceand/or a fiducial detector/marker placed on any section of the gantry490, patient positioning system 1350, and/or patient 230.

Floor Force Directed Gantry System

Referring now to FIG. 17, a wall mounted gantry system 1700 isillustrated, where a wall mounted gantry 499 is bolted to a first wall1710, such as a first buttress, with a first set of bolts 1714,optionally using a first mounting element 1712, and mounted to a secondwall 1720, such as a second buttress 1720, such a through a secondmounting element 1722, with a second set of bolts 1714. The inventornotes that in this design, forces, such as a first force, F₁, and asecond force, F₂, are directed outward into the first wall 1710 and thesecond wall 1720, respectively, where at least twenty percent ofresolved force is along the x-axis as illustrated. Thus, the wallmounted gantry system 499 must be designed to overcome tensile stress onthe bolts, greatly increasing mounting costs of the wall mounted gantrysystem 499. Further, the wall mounted gantry 499 design thus requiresthat the walls of the building are specially designed to withstand themulti-ton horizontal forces resultant from the wall mounted gantry 499.Further, as the wall mounted gantry 1700 must rotate about an axis ofrotation to function, the wall mounted gantry 1700 cannot be connectedto front and back walls, but rather can only be mounted to side walls,such as the first wall 1710 and the second wall 1720 as illustrated.Thus, when the wall mounted gantry 499 rotates, the center of mass ofthe wall mounted gantry 499 necessarily moves into a position that isnot between the end mounting points, such as the first mounting element1712 and the second mounting element 1722. With movement of the centerof mass of the wall mounted gantry 499 outside of the supports, thegantry must be configured with additional systems to prevent the wallmounted gantry system 499 from tipping over. In stark contrast,referring now to FIG. 18, in a floor mounted gantry system 1800 thegantry 490 is optionally and preferably designed to rest directly onto asupport, such as the floor 1310, with no requirement of a wall mountedsystem. As illustrated, the mass of the gantry 490 results in onlydownward forces, such as a third force, F₃, into ground or a first pier1810 and as a fourth force, F₄, into ground and/or a second pier 1820.Generally, in the floor mounted gantry system, the center of mass of thegantry 490 is inside a footprint of the piers, such as the first pier1810 and the second pier 1820 and maintains a footprint inside the pierseven as the gantry rotates due to use of additional piers into or out ofFIG. 18 and/or due to use of the counter mass in the counterweightedgantry system 1100.

Referring now to FIG. 19, an example of the gantry superstructure 1600is illustrated incorporating the gantry 490, the gantry support arm 498,the counterweight system 1120, the rotatable beamline section 138, andthe rolling floor system 1300. The rotatable gantry support 1210 isillustrated with the optional hybrid cancer treatment-imaging system1400. Further, the first pier 1810 and the second pier 1820 of the floormounted gantry system 1800 are illustrated, which are representative ofany number of underfloor gantry support elements designed to support thegantry 490, where the underfloor gantry support elements are out of arotation path of the gantry support arm 498 and the rotatable beamlinesection 138.

Referenced Charged Particle Path

Referring now to FIG. 20, a charged particle reference beam path system2000 is described, which starkly contrasts to an isocenter referencepoint of a gantry system, as described supra. The charged particlereference beam path system 2000 defines voxels in the treatment room922, the patient 230, and/or the tumor 220 relative to a reference pathof the positively charged particles and/or a transform thereof. Thereference path of the positively charged particles comprises one or moreof: a zero vector, an unredirected beamline, an unsteered beamline, anominal path of the beamline, and/or, such as, in the case of arotatable gantry and/or moveable nozzle, a translatable and/or arotatable position of the zero vectors. For clarity of presentation andwithout loss of generality, the terminology of a reference beam path isused herein to refer to an axis system defined by the charged particlebeam under a known set of controls, such as a known position of entryinto the treatment room 922, a known vector into the treatment room 922,a first known field applied in the first axis controller 143, and/or asecond known field applied in the second axis controller 144. Further,as described, supra, a reference zero point or zero point 1002 is apoint on the reference beam path. More generally, the reference beampath and the reference zero point optionally refer to a mathematicaltransform of a calibrated reference beam path and a calibrated referencezero point of the beam path, such as a charged particle beam pathdefined axis system. The calibrated reference zero point is any point;however, preferably the reference zero point is on the calibratedreference beam path and as used herein, for clarity of presentation andwithout loss of generality, is a point on the calibrated reference beampath crossing a plane defined by a terminus of the nozzle of the nozzlesystem 146. Optionally and preferably, the reference beam path iscalibrated, in a prior calibration step, against one or more systemposition markers as a function of one or more applied fields of thefirst known field and the second known field and optionally energyand/or flux/intensity of the charged particle beam, such as along thetreatment beam path 269. The reference beam path is optionally andpreferably implemented with a fiducial marker system and is furtherdescribed infra.

Example I

In a first example, referring still to FIG. 20, the charged particlereference beam path system 2000 is further described using a radiationtreatment plan developed using a traditional isocenter axis system 2022.A medical doctor approved radiation treatment plan 2010, such as aradiation treatment plan developed using the traditional isocenter axissystem 2022, is converted to a radiation treatment plan using thereference beam path-reference zero point treatment plan. The conversionstep, when coupled to a calibrated reference beam path, uses an idealisocenter point; hence, subsequent treatment using the calibratedreference beam and fiducial indicators 2040 removes the isocenter volumeerror. For instance, prior to tumor treatment 2070, fiducial indicators2040 are used to determine position of the patient 230 and/or todetermine a clear treatment path to the patient 230. For instance, thereference beam path and/or treatment beam path 269 derived therefrom isprojected in software to determine if the treatment beam path 269 isunobstructed by equipment in the treatment room using known geometriesof treatment room objects and fiducial indicators 2040 indicatingposition and/or orientation of one or more and preferably all movabletreatment room objects. The software is optionally implemented in avirtual treatment system. Preferably, the software system verifies aclear treatment path, relative to the actual physical obstacles markedwith the fiducial indicators 2040, in the less than 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,and/or 0.1 seconds prior to each use of the treatment beam path 269and/or in the less than 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and/or 0.1 seconds followingmovement of the patient positioning system, patient 230, and/oroperator.

Example II

In a second example, referring again to FIG. 20, the charged particlereference beam path system 2000 is further described.

Generally, a radiation treatment plan is developed 2020. In a firstcase, an isocenter axis system 2022 is used to develop the radiationtreatment plan 2020. In a second case, a system using the reference beampath of the charged particles 2024 is used to develop the radiationtreatment plan. In a third case, the radiation treatment plan developedusing the reference beam path 2020 is converted to an isocenter axissystem 2022, to conform with traditional formats presented to themedical doctor, prior to medical doctor approval of the radiationtreatment plan 2010, where the transformation uses an actual isocenterpoint and not a mechanically defined isocenter volume and errorsassociated with the size of the volume, as detailed supra. In any case,the radiation treatment plan is tested, in software and/or in a dry runabsent tumor treatment, using the fiducial indicators 2040. The dry runallows a real-life error check to ensure that no mechanical elementcrosses the treatment beam in the proposed or developed radiationtreatment plan 2020. Optionally, a physical dummy placed in a patienttreatment position is used in the dry run.

After medical doctor approval of the radiation treatment plan 2010,tumor treatment 2070 commences, optionally and preferably with anintervening step of verifying a clear treatment path 2052 using thefiducial indicators 2040. In the event that the main controller 110determines, using the reference beam path and the fiducial indicators1140, that the treatment beam 269 would intersect an object or operatorin the treatment room 922, multiple options exist. In a first case, themain controller 110, upon determination of a blocked and/or obscuredtreatment path of the treatment beam 269, temporarily or permanentlystops the radiation treatment protocol. In a second case, optionallyafter interrupting the radiation treatment protocol, a modifiedtreatment plan is developed 2054 for subsequent medical doctor approvalof the modified radiation treatment plan 2010. In a third case,optionally after interrupting the radiation treatment protocol, aphysical transformation of a delivery axis system is performed 2030,such as by moving the nozzle system 146, rotating and/or translating thenozzle position 2034, and/or switching to another beamline 2036.Subsequently, tumor treatment 2070 is resumed and/or a modifiedtreatment plan is presented to the medical doctor for approval of theradiation treatment plan.

Automated Cancer Therapy Imaging/Treatment System

Cancer treatment using positively charged particles involvesmulti-dimensional imaging, multi-axes tumor irradiation treatmentplanning, multi-axes beam particle beam control, multi-axes patientmovement during treatment, and intermittently intervening objectsbetween the patient and/or the treatment nozzle system. Automation ofsubsets of the overall cancer therapy treatment system using robust codesimplifies working with the intermixed variables, which aids oversightby medical professionals. Herein, an automated system is optionallysemi-automated, such as overseen by a medical professional.

Example I

In a first example, referring still to FIG. 20 and referring now to FIG.21, a first example of a semi-automated cancer therapy treatment system2100 is described and the charged particle reference beam path system2000 is further described. The charged particle reference beam pathsystem 2000 is optionally and preferably used to automatically orsemi-automatically: (1) identify an upcoming treatment beam path; (2)determine presence of an object in the upcoming treatment beam path;and/or (3) redirect a path of the charged particle beam to yield analternative upcoming treatment beam path. Further, the main controller110 optionally and preferably contains a prescribed tumor irradiationplan, such as provided by a prescribing doctor. In this example, themain controller 110 is used to determine an alternative treatment planto achieve the same objective as the prescribed treatment plan. Forinstance, the main controller 110, upon determination of the presence ofan intervening object in an upcoming treatment beam path or imminenttreatment path directs and/or controls: movement of the interveningobject; movement of the patient positioning system; and/or position ofthe nozzle system 146 to achieve identical or substantially identicaltreatment of the tumor 220 in terms of radiation dosage per voxel and/ortumor collapse direction, where substantially identical is a dosageand/or direction within 90, 95, 97, 98, 99, or 99.5 percent of theprescription. Herein, an imminent treatment path is the next treatmentpath of the charged particle beam to the tumor in a current version of aradiation treatment plan and/or a treatment beam path/vector that isscheduled for use within the next 1, 5, 10, 30, or 60 seconds. In afirst case, the revised tumor treatment protocol is sent to a doctor,such as a doctor in a neighboring control room and/or a doctor in aremote facility or outside building, for approval. In a second case, thedoctor, present or remote, oversees an automated or semi-automatedrevision of the tumor treatment protocol, such as generated using themain controller. Optionally, the doctor halts treatment, suspendstreatment pending an analysis of the revised tumor treatment protocol,slows the treatment procedure, or allows the main controller to continuealong the computer suggested revised tumor treatment plan. Optionallyand preferably, imaging data and/or imaging information, such asdescribed supra, is input to the main controller 110 and/or is providedto the overseeing doctor or the doctor authorizing a revised tumortreatment irradiation plan.

Example II

Referring now to FIG. 21, a second example of the semi-automated cancertherapy treatment system 2100 is described. Initially, a medical doctor,such as an oncologist, provides an approved radiation treatment plan2110, which is implemented in a treatment step of delivering chargedparticles 2128 to the tumor 220 of the patient 230. Concurrent withimplementation of the treatment step, additional data is gathered, suchas via an updated/new image from an imaging system and/or via thefiducial indicators 2040. Subsequently, the main controller 110optionally, in an automated process or semi-automated process, adjuststhe provided doctor approved radiation treatment plan 2110 to form acurrent radiation treatment plan. In a first case, cancer treatmentshalts until the doctor approves the proposed/adjusted treatment plan andcontinues using the now, doctor approved, current radiation treatmentplan. In a second case, the computer generated radiation treatment plancontinues in an automated fashion as the current treatment plan. In athird case, the computer generated treatment plan is sent for approval,but cancer treatment proceeds at a reduced rate to allow the doctor timeto monitor the changed plan. The reduced rate is optionally less than100, 90, 80, 70, 60, or 50 percent of the original treatment rate and/oris greater than 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 percent of the originaltreatment rate. At any time, the overseeing doctor, medicalprofessional, or staff may increase or decrease the rate of treatment.

Example III

Referring still to FIG. 21, a third example of the semi-automated cancertherapy treatment system 2100 is described. In this example, a processof semi-autonomous cancer treatment 2120 is implemented. In starkcontrast with the previous example where a doctor provides the originalcancer treatment plan 2110, in this example the cancer therapy system110 auto-generates a radiation treatment plan 2126. Subsequently, theauto-generated treatment plan, now the current radiation treatment plan,is implemented, such as via the treatment step of delivering chargedparticles 2128 to the tumor 220 of the patient 230. Optionally andpreferably, the auto-generated radiation treatment plan 2126 is reviewedin an intervening and/or concurrent doctor oversight step 2130, wherethe auto-generated radiation treatment plan 2126 is approved as thecurrent treatment plan 2132 or approved as an alternative treatment plan2134; once approved referred to as the current treatment plan.

Generally, the original doctor approved treatment plan 2110, the autogenerated radiation treatment plan 2126, or the altered treatment plan2134, when being implemented is referred to as the current radiationtreatment plan.

Example IV

Referring still to FIG. 21, a fourth example of the semi-automatedcancer therapy treatment system 2100 is described. In this example, thecurrent radiation treatment plan, prior to implementation of aparticular set of voxels of the tumor 220 of the patient 230, isanalyzed in terms of clear path analysis, as described supra. Moreparticularly, fiducial indicators 2040 are used in determination of aclear treatment path prior to treatment along an imminent beam treatmentpath to one or more voxels of the tumor 220 of the patient. Uponimplementation, the imminent treatment vector is the treatment vector inthe deliver charged particles step 2128.

Example V

Referring still to FIG. 21, a fifth example of the semi-automated cancertherapy treatment system 2100 is described. In this example, a cancertreatment plan is generated semi-autonomously or autonomously using themain controller 110 and the process of semi-autonomous cancer treatmentsystem. More particularly, the process of semi-autonomous cancertreatment 2120 uses input from: (1) a semi-autonomously patientpositioning step 2122; (2) a semi-autonomous tumor imaging step 2124,and/or for the fiducial indicators 2040; and/or (3) a software coded setof radiation treatment directives with optional weighting parameters.For example, the treatment directives comprise a set of criteria to: (1)treat the tumor 220; (2) while reducing energy delivery of the chargedparticle beam outside of the tumor 220; minimizing or greatly reducingpassage of the charged particle beam into a high value element, such asan eye, nerve center, or organ, the process of semi-autonomous cancertreatment 2120 optionally auto-generates the original radiationtreatment plan 2126. The auto-generated original radiation treatmentplan 2126 is optionally auto-implemented, such as via the delivercharged particles step 2126, and/or is optionally reviewed by a doctor,such as in the doctor oversight 2130 process, described supra.Optionally and preferably, the semi-autonomous imaging step 2124generates and/or uses data from: (1) one or more proton scans from animaging system using protons to image the tumor 220; (2) one or moreX-ray images using one or more X-ray imaging systems; (3) a positronemission system; (4) a computed tomography system; and/or (5) anyimaging technique or system described herein.

The inventor notes that traditionally days pass between imaging thetumor and treating the tumor while a team of oncologists develop aradiation plan. In stark contrast, using the autonomous imaging andtreatment steps described herein, such as implemented by the maincontroller 110, the patient optionally remains in the treatment roomand/or in a treatment position in a patient positioning system from thetime of imaging, through the time of developing a radiation plan, andthrough at least a first tumor treatment session.

Example VI

Referring still to FIG. 21, a sixth example of the semi-automated cancertherapy treatment system 2100 is described. In this example, the delivercharged particle step 2128, using a current radiation treatment plan, isadjusted autonomously or semi-autonomously using concurrent and/orinterspersed images from the semi-autonomously imaging system 2124 asinterpreted, such as via the process of semi-automated cancer treatment2120 and input from the fiducial indicators 2040 and/or thesemi-automated patient position system 2122.

Referring now to FIG. 22, a system for developing a radiation treatmentplan 2210 using positively charged particles is described. Moreparticularly, a semi-automated radiation treatment plan developmentsystem 2200 is described, where the semi-automated system is optionallyfully automated or contains fully automated sub-processes.

The computer implemented algorithm, such as implemented using the maincontroller 110, in the automated radiation treatment plan developmentsystem 2200 generates a score, sub-score, and/or output to rank a set ofauto-generated potential radiation treatment plans, where the score isused in determination of a best radiation treatment plan, a proposedradiation treatment plan, and/or an auto-implemented radiation treatmentplan.

Still referring to FIG. 22, the semi-automated or automated radiationtreatment plan development system 2200 optionally and preferablyprovides a set of inputs, guidelines, and/or weights to a radiationtreatment development code that processes the inputs to generate anoptimal radiation treatment plan and/or a preferred radiation treatmentplan based upon the inputs, guidelines, and/or weights. An input is agoal specification, but not an absolute fixed requirement. Input goalsare optionally and preferably weighted and/or are associated with a hardlimit. Generally, the radiation treatment development code uses analgorithm, an optimization protocol, an intelligent system, computerlearning, supervised, and/or unsupervised algorithmic approach togenerating a proposed and/or immediately implemented radiation treatmentplan, which are compared via the score described above. Inputs to thesemi-automated radiation treatment plan development system 2200 includeimages of the tumor 220 of the patient 230, treatment goals, treatmentrestrictions, associated weights to each input, and/or associated limitsof each input. To facilitate description and understanding of theinvention, without loss of generality, optional inputs are illustratedin FIG. 22 and further described herein by way of a set of examples.

Example I

Still referring to FIG. 22, a first input to the semi-automatedradiation treatment plan development system 2200, used to generate theradiation treatment plan 2210, is a requirement of dose distribution2220. Herein, dose distribution comprises one or more parameters, suchas a prescribed dosage 2221 to be delivered; an evenness or uniformityof radiation dosage distribution 2222; a goal of reduced overall dosage2223 delivered to the patient 230; a specification related tominimization or reduction of dosage delivered to critical voxels 2224 ofthe patient 230, such as to a portion of an eye, brain, nervous system,and/or heart of the patient 230; and/or an extent of, outside aperimeter of the tumor, dosage distribution 2225. The automatedradiation treatment plan development system 2200 calculates and/oriterates a best radiation treatment plan using the inputs, such as via acomputer implemented algorithm.

Each parameter provided to the automated radiation treatment plandevelopment system 2200, optionally and preferably contains a weight orimportance. For clarity of presentation and without loss of generality,two cases illustrate.

In a first case, a requirement/goal of reduction of dosage or evencomplete elimination of radiation dosage to the optic nerve of the eye,provided in the minimized dosage to critical voxels 2224 input is givena higher weight than a requirement/goal to minimize dosage to an outerarea of the eye, such as the rectus muscle, or an inner volume of theeye, such as the vitreous humor of the eye. This first case is exemplaryof one input providing more than one sub-input where each sub-inputoptionally includes different weighting functions.

In a second case, a first weight and/or first sub-weight of a firstinput is compared with a second weight and/or a second sub-weight of asecond input. For instance, a distribution function, probability, orprecision of the even radiation dosage distribution 2222 inputoptionally comprises a lower associated weight than a weight providedfor the reduce overall dosage 2223 input to prevent the computeralgorithm from increasing radiation dosage in an attempt to yield anentirely uniform dose distribution.

Each parameter and/or sub-parameter provided to the automated radiationtreatment plan development system 2200, optionally and preferablycontains a limit, such as a hard limit, an upper limit, a lower limit, aprobability limit, and/or a distribution limit. The limit requirement isoptionally used, by the computer algorithm generating the radiationtreatment plan 2210, with or without the weighting parameters, describedsupra.

Example II

Still referring to FIG. 22, a second input to the semi-automatedradiation treatment plan development system 2200, is a patient motion2230 input. The patient motion 2230 input comprises: a move the patientin one direction 2232 input, a move the patient at a uniform speed 2233input, a total patient rotation 2234 input, a patient rotation rate 2235input, and/or a patient tilt 2236 input. For clarity of presentation andwithout loss of generality, the patient motion inputs are furtherdescribed, supra, in several cases.

Still referring to FIG. 22, in a first case the automated radiationtreatment plan development system 2200, provides a guidance input, suchas the move the patient in one direction 2232 input, but a furtherassociated directive is if other goals require it or if a better overallscore of the radiation treatment plan 2210 is achieved, the guidanceinput is optionally automatically relaxed. Similarly, the move thepatient at a uniform rate 2233 input is also provided with a guidanceinput, such as a low associated weight that is further relaxable toyield a high score, of the radiation treatment plan 2210, but is onlyrelaxed or implemented an associated fixed or hard limit number oftimes.

Still referring to FIG. 22, in a second case the computer implementedalgorithm, in the automated radiation treatment plan development system2200, optionally generates a sub-score. For instance, a patient comfortscore optionally comprises a score combining a metric related to two ormore of: the move the patient in one direction 2232 input, the move thepatient at a uniform rate 2233 input, the total patient rotation 2234input, the patient rotation rate 2235 input, and/or the reduce patienttilt 2236 input. The sub-score, which optionally has a preset limit,allows flexibility, in the computer implemented algorithm, to yield onpatient movement parameters as a whole, again to result in patientcomfort.

Still referring to FIG. 22, in a third case the automated radiationtreatment plan development system 2200 optionally contains an input usedfor more than one sub-function. For example, a reduce treatment time2231 input is optionally used as a patient comfort parameter and alsolinks into the dose distribution 2220 input.

Example III

Still referring to FIG. 22, a third input to the automated radiationtreatment plan development system 2200 comprises output of an imagingsystem, such as any of the imaging systems described herein.

Example IV

Still referring to FIG. 22, a fourth optional input to the automatedradiation treatment plan development system 2200 is structural and/orphysical elements present in the treatment room 922. Again, for clarityof presentation and without loss of generality, two cases illustratetreatment room object information as an input to the automateddevelopment of the radiation treatment plan 2210.

Still referring to FIG. 22, in a first case the automated radiationtreatment plan development system 2200 is optionally provided with apre-scan of potentially intervening support structures 2282 input, suchas a patient support device, a patient couch, and/or a patient supportelement, where the pre-scan is an image/density/redirection impact ofthe support structure on the positively charged particle treatment beam.Preferably, the pre-scan is an actual image or tomogram of the supportstructure using the actual facility synchrotron, a remotely generatedactual image, and/or a calculated impact of the intervening structure onthe positively charge particle beam. Determination of impact of thesupport structure on the charged particle beam is further described,infra.

Still referring to FIG. 22, in a second case the automated radiationtreatment plan development system 2200 is optionally provided with areduce treatment through a support structure 2244 input. As describedsupra, an associated weight, guidance, and/or limit is optionallyprovided with the reduce treatment through the support structure 2244input and, also as described supra, the support structure input isoptionally compromised relative to a more critical parameter, such asthe deliver prescribed dosage 2221 input or the minimize dosage tocritical voxels 2224 of the patient 230 input.

Example V

Still referring to FIG. 22, a fifth optional input to the automatedradiation treatment plan development system 2200 is a doctor input 2136,such as provided only prior to the auto generation of the radiationtreatment plan. Separately, doctor oversight 2130 is optionally providedto the automated radiation treatment plan development system 2200 asplans are being developed, such as an intervention to restrict anaction, an intervention to force an action, and/or an intervention tochange one of the inputs to the automated radiation treatment plandevelopment system 2200 for a radiation plan for a particularindividual.

Example VI

Still referring to FIG. 22, a sixth input to the automated radiationtreatment plan development system 2200 comprises information related tocollapse and/or shifting of the tumor 220 of the patient 230 duringtreatment. For instance, the radiation treatment plan 2210 isautomatically updated, using the automated radiation treatment plandevelopment system 2200, during treatment using an input of images ofthe tumor 220 of the patient 230 collected concurrently with treatmentusing the positively charged particles. For instance, as the tumor 220reduces in size with treatment, the tumor 220 collapses inward and/orshifts. The auto-updated radiation treatment plan is optionallyauto-implemented, such as without the patient moving from a treatmentposition. Optionally, the automated radiation treatment plan developmentsystem 2200 tracks dosage of untreated voxels of the tumor 220 and/ortracks partially irradiated, relative to the prescribed dosage 2221,voxels and dynamically and/or automatically adjusts the radiationtreatment plan 2210 to provide the full prescribed dosage to each voxeldespite movement of the tumor 220. Similarly, the automated radiationtreatment plan development system 2200 tracks dosage of treated voxelsof the tumor 220 and adjusts the automatically updated tumor treatmentplan to reduce and/or minimize further radiation delivery to the fullytreated and shifted tumor voxels while continuing treatment of thepartially treated and/or untreated shifted voxels of the tumor 220.

Automated Adaptive Treatment

Referring now to FIG. 23, a system for automatically updating theradiation treatment plan 2300 and preferably automatically updating andimplementing the radiation treatment plan is illustrated. In a firsttask 2310, an initial radiation treatment plan is provided, such as theauto-generated radiation treatment plan 2126, described supra. The firsttask is a startup task of an iterative loop of tasks and/or recurringset of tasks, described herein as comprising tasks two to four. In asecond task 2320, the tumor 220 is treated using the positively chargedparticles delivered from the synchrotron 130. In a third task 2330,changes in the tumor shape and/or changes in the tumor position relativeto surrounding constituents of the patient 230 are observed, such as viaany of the imaging systems described herein. The imaging optionallyoccurs simultaneously, concurrently, periodically, and/or intermittentlywith the second task while the patient remains positioned by the patientpositioning system. The main controller 110 uses images from the imagingsystem(s) and the provided and/or current radiation treatment plan todetermine if the treatment plan is to be followed or modified. Upondetected relative movement of the tumor 220 relative to the otherelements of the patient 230 and/or change in a shape of the tumor 230, afourth task 2340 of updating the treatment plan is optionally andpreferably automatically implemented and/or use of the radiationtreatment plan development system 2200, described supra, is implemented.The process of tasks two to four is optionally and preferably repeated ntimes where n is a positive integer of greater than 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50,or 100 and/or until a treatment session of the tumor 220 ends and thepatient 230 departs the treatment room 922.

Automated Treatment

Referring now to FIG. 24, an automated cancer therapy treatment system2400 is illustrated. In the automated cancer therapy treatment system2400, a majority of tasks are implemented according to a computer basedalgorithm and/or an intelligent system. Optionally and preferably, amedical professional oversees the automated cancer therapy treatmentsystem 2400 and stops or alters the treatment upon detection of an errorbut fundamentally observes the process of computer algorithm guidedimplementation of the system using electromechanical elements, such asany of the hardware and/or software described herein. Optionally andpreferably, each sub-system and/or sub-task is automated. Optionally,one or more of the sub-systems and/or sub-tasks are performed by amedical professional. For instance, the patient 230 is optionallyinitially positioned in the patient positioning system by the medicalprofessional and/or the nozzle system 146 inserts are loaded by themedical professional. Optional and preferably automated, such ascomputer algorithm implemented, sub-tasks include one or more andpreferably all of:

-   -   receiving the treatment plan input 2200, such as a prescription,        guidelines, patient motion guidelines 2230, dose distribution        guidelines 2220, intervening object 2210 information, and/or        images of the tumor 220;    -   using the treatment plan input 2200 to auto-generate a radiation        treatment plan 2126;    -   auto-positioning 2122 the patient 230;    -   auto-imaging 2124 the tumor 220;    -   implementing medical profession oversight 2138 instructions;    -   auto-implementing the radiation treatment plan 2320/delivering        the positively charged particles to the tumor 220;    -   auto-reposition the patient 2321 for subsequent radiation        delivery;    -   auto-rotate a nozzle position 2322 of the nozzle system 146        relative to the patient 230;    -   auto-translate a nozzle position 2323 of the nozzle system 146        relative to the patient 230;    -   auto-verify a clear treatment path using an imaging system, such        as to observe presence of a metal object or unforeseen dense        object via an X-ray image;    -   auto-verify a clear treatment path using fiducial indicators        2324;    -   auto control a state of the positively charge particle beam        2325, such as energy, intensity, position (x,y,z), duration,        and/or direction;    -   auto-control a particle beam path 2326, such as to a selected        beamline and/or to a selected nozzle;    -   auto implement positioning a tray insert and/or tray assembly;    -   auto-update a tumor image 2410;    -   auto-observe tumor movement 2330; and/or    -   generate an auto-modified radiation treatment plan 2340/new        treatment plan.

Treatment Beam Progression

Referring now to FIGS. 25-32, treatment beam progression is described.More particularly, reduction in systematic errors by control of orderand/or position of treatment of tumor voxels is described.

Referring now to FIG. 25 and FIG. 26, row-by-row voxel treatment of atumor, the tumor not illustrated for clarity of presentation, iscompared with non-row treatment of a tumor, referred to herein as acontrolled beam progression treatment and/or a controlled random beamposition treatment system. Referring now to FIG. 25, a first voxel ofthe tumor is treated, then second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixthvoxels are sequentially treated with the treatment beam 269.Subsequently, second, third, fourth, . . . , n^(th) rows are treateduntil all voxels in an x/y-plane of the tumor are treated, the firstnine treatment voxels are illustrated. In stark contrast, referring nowto FIG. 26, the treatment beam 269 over time will treat all of thex/y-plane pixels, but in a random order as a function of x-axis positionand y-axis position.

Referring now to FIGS. 25-32, for clarity of presentation and withoutloss of generality, the beam is illustrated as a function of time movingalong a first axis, such as the x-axis, relative to a second axis, suchas the y-axis. However, the beam is optionally scanned along and/ormoved randomly along the x-axis, the y-axis, the z-axis, any pair ofaxes, and/or along all three axes as a function of time. Further, the x,y, and z-axes are optionally treated at m, n, or o positions, where m,n, and o are positive integers.

Systematic Beam Position Errors

A charged particle cancer therapy system uses a complex instrument in acomplex setting. Many changes to the beam output as a function of timeversus a planned treatment result, such as during scanning the beamposition, delivering an intended beam energy, and/or delivering anintended beam energy. Many known factors impact precision and accuracyof the beam state, where various calibration and/or control systemsminimize precision and accuracy error. However, physics dictates thatabsolute control of the treatment beam state in terms of precision andaccuracy is not possible. Further, unknown parameters may lead toerrors, such as systematic errors, in the beam state accuracy andprecision. Two known and controlled errors are illustrated in thefollowing examples.

Example I

Referring now to FIG. 27, a first beam state change as a function oftime 2700 is illustrated. In this example, at a first time a first beamdiameter 2710 comprises a first radius, such as during device warm up.At a second time, a second beam diameter 2720 is illustrated, where thesecond beam diameter is larger than the first beam diameter, whichrepresents a beam intensity drift as a function of time. The beamintensity/diameter as a function of time may change by less than 20, 10,5, 2, or 1 percent. However, the beam diameter directly affects anx/y-plane beam/intensity diameter of a currently treated tumor voxel.

Example II

Referring now to FIG. 28, a second beam state change as a function oftime 2800 is illustrated. In this example, a reference circle 2810 isillustrated. At a first time, a first beam position 2820 is centeredwithin the reference circle 2810. At a second time, a second beamposition 2830 is offset in the x/y-plane relative to the referencecircle 2810, which represents a beam position drift as a function oftime. Again, the beam position as a function of time may change by lessthan 20, 10, 5, 2, or 1 percent. However, the beam position directlyaffects an x/y-plane beam position of a currently treated tumor voxel.

Some contributors to the two above described beam state changes may beidentified and/or controlled, such as warm-up time, hysteresis, andmagnet operating temperature. However, the contributors are convoluted,additional unknown causes may be present, and uncontrollable causes mayresult, such as a patient twitch. Referring now to FIG. 29, potentialerror of net changes in intensity 2900 of the treatment beam 269 as afunction of time are illustrated, such as across five treatment voxels2910. The inventor notes that beam progression control methods andapparatus that reduce systematic error in beam state result in reducedsystematic error in delivered radiation dosage as a function ofx,y,z-beam position in tumor treatment.

Beam Progression Control

Referring now to FIGS. 30-32, for clarity of presentation and withoutloss of generality, examples of beam progression and control patternsare provided. Generally, the main controller 110 or subsystem thereofcontrols progression of the beam state in terms of x-position,y-position, dispersion, focus, timing, energy, and/or intensity to treatthe tumor voxels in a manner reducing known and/or unknown systematicerrors in radiation dosage delivery as a function of x,y,z-position inthe tumor 220 of the patient 230. Examples of beam state controlmechanisms include, but are not limited to: (1) control of thecurrent/magnetic field in the first axis controller 143 and/or thesecond axis controller 144; (2) control of energy of the extractedcharged particle beam, such as through use of the extraction system 134;(3) control of intensity, such as using the intensity control system225; (4) use of the continuously variable proton beam energy controller460; (5) an energy beam adjustment system, described infra; (6) anon-uniformly thick material rotated and/or translated in the beam pathto alter energy of the beam; and/or (7) movement of the patient 230,such as through use of the patient positioning system 1350.

Example I

Referring now to FIG. 30, an example of beam progression control using adithering system 3000 is described. In dithering, the treatment beam 269is intentionally dithered, moved, and/or focused in a position slightlyoffset from a target spot, line, or volume. As illustrated, five plannedtreatment spots 3010 are illustrated along a line. The controlled andintentionally dithered spots 2720 illustrate five treatment spots thatare, respectively, above, to the right side, diagonally downward, left,and above the five planned treatment spots 3010, which reducessystematic error, such as an offset beam, especially when the same tumorvolumes are treated on subsequent days, such as a second, third, andfourth day with a different dither as a function of time. Dithering ofthe treatment beam 269 is optionally random or intentionally differentfor a given tumor voxel during subsequent treatments.

Example II

Referring now to FIG. 31, an example of beam progression control using amulti-axis control system 3100 is illustrated. In this example, theprogression of the treatment beam 269 from tumor voxel to tumor voxel:(1) initiates at least one treatment voxel diameter from an edge of thetumor 220; (2) scans in at least three directions, such as relativemotions of down, then left, then up; (3) scans in at least fourdirections, such as relative motions of up, then right, then down, thenleft; (4) scans in opposite directions as a function of time, such asleft and then right and/or in and then out; (5) scans along one axis atone time and along two axes at a second time; (6) scans along three axesat a time, such as diagonally into the tumor 220; and (7) combinesscanning steps described herein.

Example III

Referring now to FIG. 32, a multi-day beam progression control 3200 isillustrated. In this example, the treatment beam 269 follows differentpatterns during at least two, three, or four separate treatment times orsessions, such as on different days and/or during different patientseatings on the patient positioning system 1350. As illustrated, ondifferent treatment days the same tumor voxel is treated: (1) withmovement of the treatment beam, between tumor voxels, from differentdirections, such as through movement along the x, y, or z-axes; (2) formtreatment loops, such as illustrated in day 2; (3) treats rows orcolumns on one day while ‘stitching’ rows and or columns by repeatedlyoverlapping beam treatment trails, such as illustrated in day 3; (4)uses dithering on one day and not another for a given tumor voxel;and/or (5) use any combinations of beam progression approaches onedifferent days.

Generally, the intent of beam progression control is to minimize,reduce, and/or eliminate systematic errors involved in tumor treatmentto provide a uniform and therapeutic radiation dose throughout thetumor. As described supra, the beam progression control moves thetreatment beam 269 through non-linear paths during a portion of thetumor treatment. More specifically, the treatment beam 269 isintentionally moved: (1) at least ⅛^(th), ⅙^(th), ¼^(th), ½, or 1diameter or cross-sectional length of a treatment beam spot size of thetreatment beam, such as, for a two millimeter treatment beam spot size,a movement of ¼, ⅔, ½, 1, or 2 millimeters; (2) at least ¼^(th) of atreatment beam diameter off of a treatment vector at least, on average,once every 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 movements of the treatment beamalong a given vector in the tumor 220; (3) off of a treatment vector forat least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more treated tumor voxels as the treatmentbeam 269 progresses from a first edge of the tumor 220 to an oppositeedge of the tumor 220; (4) for a set of treatment vectors for treatingthe tumor, intentionally deviating, on average, off of the treatmentvector by at least ⅛^(th) of a treatment beam diameter at least once forevery 3, 5, 10, or 20 movements of the treatment beam; and/or (5) anypermutation and/or combination of treatment beam progressions describedherein.

Multiple Beam Energies

Referring now to FIG. 33A through FIG. 38, a system is described thatallows continuity in beam treatment between energy levels.

Referring now to FIG. 33A and FIG. 33B, treating the tumor 220 of thepatient 230 using at least two beam energies is illustrated. Referringnow to FIG. 33A, in a first illustrative example the treatment beam 269is used at a first energy, E₁, to treat a first, second, and third voxelof the tumor at a first, second, and third time, t₁₋₃, respectively. Ata fourth time, t₄, the treatment beam 269 is used at a lower secondenergy, E₂, to treat the tumor 220, such as at a shallower depth in thepatient 230. Similarly, referring now to FIG. 33B, in a secondillustrative example the treatment beam 269 is used at a first energy,E₁, to treat a first, second, and third voxel of the tumor at a first,second, and third time, t₁₋₃, respectively. At a fourth time, t₄, thetreatment beam 269 is used at a higher third energy, E₃, to treat thetumor 220, such as at a greater depth of penetration into the patient230.

Referring now to FIG. 34, two systems are described that treat the tumor220 of the patient 230 with at least two energy levels of the treatmentbeam 269: (1) a beam interrupt system 3510 dumping the beam from anaccelerator ring, such as the synchrotron 130, between use of thetreatment beam 269 at a first energy and a second energy and (2) a beamadjustment system 3520 using an ion beam energy adjustment system 3440designed to adjust energies of the treatment beam 269 between loadingsof the ion beam. Each system if further described, infra. For clarity ofpresentation and without loss of generality, the synchrotron 130 is usedto represent any accelerator type in the description of the two systems.The field accepted word of “ring” is used to describe a beam circulationpath in a particle accelerator.

Referring still to FIG. 34, in the beam interrupt system 3510, an ionbeam generation system 3410, such as the ion source 122, generates anion, such as a cation, and a ring loading system 124, such as theinjection system 120, loads the synchrotron 130 with a set of chargedparticles. An energy ramping system 3420 of the synchrotron 130 is usedto accelerate the set of charged particles to a single treatment energy,a beam extraction system 3430 is used to extract one or more subsets ofthe charged particles at the single treatment energy for treatment ofthe tumor 720 of the patient 730. When a different energy of thetreatment beam 269 is required, a beam dump system 3450 is used to dumpthe remaining charged particles from the synchrotron 130. The entiresequence of ion beam generation, accelerator ring loading, acceleration,extraction, and beam dump is subsequently repeated for each requiredtreatment energy.

Referring still to FIG. 34, the beam adjustment system 3520 uses atleast the ion beam generation system 3410, the ring loading system 124,the energy ramping system 3420, and the beam extraction system 3430 ofthe first system. However, the beam adjustment system uses an energyadjustment system 3440 between the third and fourth times, illustratedin FIG. 33A and FIG. 33B, where energy of the treatment beam 269 isdecreased or increased, respectively. Thus, after extraction of thetreatment beam 269 at a first energy, the energy adjustment system 3440,with or without use of the energy ramping system 3420, is used to adjustthe energy of the circulating charged particle beam to a second energy.The beam extraction system 3430 subsequently extracts the treatment beam269 at the second energy. The cycle of energy beam adjustment 3440 anduse of the beam extraction system 3430 is optionally repeated to extracta third, fourth, fifth, and/or n^(th) energy until the process ofdumping the remaining beam and/or the process of loading the ring usedin the beam interrupt system is repeated. The beam interrupt system andbeam adjustment systems are further described, infra.

Referring now to FIG. 35, the beam interrupt system 3510 is furtherdescribed. After loading the ring, as described supra, the tumor 220 istreated with a first energy 3532. After treating with the first energy,the beam interrupt system 3510 uses a beam interrupt step, such as: (1)stopping extraction, such as via altering, decreasing, shifting, and/orreversing the betatron oscillation 3516, described supra, to reduce theradius of curvature of the altered circulating beam path 265 back to theoriginal central beamline and/or (2) performing a beam dump 3514. Afterextraction is stopped and in the case where the beam is dumped, the ringloading system 124 reloads the ring with cations, the accelerator system131 is used to accelerate the new beam and a subsequent treatment, suchas treatment with a second energy 3534 ensues. Thus, using the beaminterrupt system 3510 to perform a treatment at n energy levels: ionsare generated, the ring is filled, and the ring is dumped n−1 times,where n is a positive integer, such as greater than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10,25, or 50. In the case of interrupting the beam by altering the betatronoscillation 2416, the accelerator system 131 is used to alter the beamenergy to a new energy level.

Referring still to FIG. 35, the beam adjustment system 3520 is furtherdescribed. In the beam adjustment system 3520, after the tumor 220 istreated using a first beam energy 3532, a beam alteration step 3522 isused to alter the energy of the circulating beam. In a first case, thebeam is accelerated, such as by changing the beam energy by altering agap voltage 3524, as further described infra. Without performing a beamdump 3514 and without the requirement of using the accelerator system131 to change the energy of the circulating charged particle beam,energy of the circulating charge particle beam is altered using the beamalteration system 3522 and the tumor 220 is treated with a second beamenergy 3534. Optionally, the accelerator system 131 is used to furtheralter the circulating charged particle beam energy in the synchrotron130 and/or the extraction foil is moved 3540 to a non-beam extractionposition. However, the inventor notes that the highlighted path, A,allows: (1) a change in the energy of the extracted beam, the treatmentbeam 269, as fast as each cycle of the charged particle through thering, where the beam energy is optionally altered many times, such as onsuccessive passes of the beam across the gap, between treatment, (2)treatment with a range of beam energies with a single loading of thebeam, (3) using a larger percentage of the circulating charged particlesfor treatment of the tumor 220 of the patient, (4) a smaller number ofcharged particles in a beam dump, (5) use of all of the chargedparticles loaded into the ring, (6) small adjustments of the beam energywith a magnitude related to the gap radio-frequency and/or amplitudeand/or phase shift, as further described infra, and/or (7) a real-timeimage feedback to the gap radio-frequency of the synchrotron 130 todynamically control energy of the treatment beam 269 relative toposition of the tumor 220, optionally as the tumor 220 is ablated byirradiation, as further described infra.

Referring now to FIG. 36, the beam adjustment system 3520 is illustratedusing multiple beam energies for each of one or more loadings of thering. Particularly, the ring loading system 124 loads the ring and amultiple energy treatment system 3530 treats the tumor with a selectedenergy 3536, alters the treatment beam 3528, such as with the beamalteration process 3522, and repeats the process of treating with aselected energy and altering the beam energy n times before again usingthe ring loading system 124 to load the ring, where n is a positiveinteger of at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 50, and/or 100.

Referring now to FIG. 37A the beam alteration 3522 is further described.The circulating beam path 264 and/or the altered circulating beam path265 crosses a path gap 3710 having a gap entrance side 3720 and a gapexit side 3730. A voltage difference, ΔV, across the path gap 3710 isapplied with a driving radio field 3740. The applied voltage difference,ΔV, and/or the applied frequency of the driving radio field are used toaccelerate or decelerate the charged particles circulating in thecirculating beam path 264 and/or the altered circulating beam path 265,as still further described infra.

Referring now to FIG. 37B, acceleration of the circulating chargeparticles is described. For clarity of presentation and without loss ofgenerality, a ninety volt difference is used in this example. However,any voltage difference is optionally used relative to any startingvoltage. As illustrated, the positively charged particles enter the pathgap 3710 at the gap entrance side 3720 at an applied voltage of zerovolts and are accelerated toward the gap exit side 3730 at −90 volts.Optionally and preferably the voltage difference, that is optionallystatic, is altered at a radio-frequency matching the time period ofcirculation through the synchrotron.

Referring again to FIG. 37A, phase shifting the applied radio-frequencyis optionally used to: (1) focus/tighten distribution of a circulatingparticle bunch and/or (2) increase or decrease a mean energy of theparticle bunch as described in the following examples.

Example I

Referring again to FIG. 37B, in a first genus of a lower potential atthe gap exit side 3730 relative to a reference potential of the gapentrance side 3720, in a first species case of the appliedradio-frequency phase shifted to reach a maximum negative potentialafter arrival of a peak intensity of particles in a particle bunch,circulating as a group in the ring, at the gap exit side 3730, then thetrailing charged particles of the particle bunch are acceleratedrelative to the mean position of charged particles of the particle bunchresulting in: (1) focusing/tightening distribution of the circulatingparticle bunch by relative acceleration of a trailing edge of particlesin the particle bunch and (2) increasing the mean energy of thecirculating particle bunch. More particularly, using a phase matchedapplied radio-frequency field, a particle bunch is accelerated. However,a delayed phase of the applied radio-frequency accelerates trailingparticles of the particle bunch more than the acceleration of a meanposition of the particle bunch, which results in a different meanincreased velocity/energy of the particle bunch relative to an in-phaseacceleration of the particle bunch. In a second species case of theapplied radio-frequency phase shifted to reach a maximum negativepotential before arrival of a peak intensity of particles in theparticle bunch at the gap exit side 3730, then the leading chargedparticles of the particle bunch are accelerated less than the peakdistribution of the particle bunch resulting in: (1) focusing/tighteningdistribution of the circulating particle bunch and/or (2) anacceleration of the circulating particle bunch differing from anin-phase acceleration of the particle bunch.

Example II

Referring again to FIG. 37C, in a second genus of a larger potential atthe gap exit side 3730 relative to the gap entrance side 3720, using thesame logic of distribution edges of the bunch particles acceleratingfaster or slower relative to the mean velocity of the bunch particlesdepending upon relative strength of the applied field, the particlebunch is: (1) focused/tightened/distribution reduced and (2) edgedistributions of the particle bunch are accelerated or deceleratedrelative to deceleration of peak intensity particles of the particlebunch using appropriate phase shifting. For example, a particle bunchundergoes deceleration across the path gap 3710 when a voltage of thegap exit side 3730 is larger than a potential of the gap entrance side3720 and in the first case of the phase shifting the radio-frequency toinitiate a positive pulse before arrival of the particle bunch, theleading edge of the particle bunch is slowed less than the peakintensity of the particle bunch, which results in tighteningdistribution of velocities of particles in the particle bunch andreducing the mean velocity of the particle bunch to a differentmagnitude than that of a matched phase radio-frequency field due to therelative slowing of the leading edge of the particle bunch. As describedabove, relative deceleration, which is reduced deceleration versus themain peak of the particle bunch, is achieved by phase shifting theapplied radio-frequency field peak intensity to lag the peak intensityof particles in the particle bunch.

Example III

Referring again to FIG. 37A and FIG. 37B, optionally more than one pathgap 3710 is used in the synchrotron. Assuming an acceleration case foreach of a first path gap and a second path gap: (1) a phase trailingradio-frequency at the first path gap accelerates leading particles ofthe particle bunch less than acceleration of the peak intensity ofparticles of the particle bunch and (2) a phase leading radio-frequencyat the second path gap accelerates trailing particles of the particlebunch more than acceleration of the peak intensity of particles of theparticle bunch. Hence, first particles at the leading edge of theparticle bunch are tightened toward a mean intensity of the particlebunch and second particles at the trailing edge of the particle bunchare also tightened toward the mean intensity of the particle bunch,while the particle bunch as a whole is accelerated. The phase shiftingprocess is similarly reversed when deceleration of the particle bunch isdesired.

In addition to acceleration or deceleration of the beam using appliedvoltage with or without phase shifting the applied voltage, geometry ofthe gap entrance side 3720 and/or the gap exit side 3730 using one ormore path gaps 3710 is optionally used to radiallyfocus/tighten/distribution tighten the particle bunch. Referring now toFIG. 38, an example illustrates radial tightening of the particle bunch.In this example, a first path gap 3712 incorporates a first curvedgeometry, such as a convex exit side geometry 3812, relative toparticles exiting the first path gap 3712. The first curved surfaceyields increasingly convex potential field lines 3822, relative toparticles crossing the first path gap 3712, across the first path gap3712, which radially focuses the particle bunch. Similarly, a secondpath gap 3714 incorporates a second curved geometry or a concaveentrance side geometry 3814, relative to particles entering the secondpath gap 3714. The second curved surface yields decreasingly convexpotential field lines 3824 as a function of distance across the secondpath gap 3714, which radially defocuses the particle bunch, such as backto a straight path with a second beam radius, r₂, less than a first beamradius, r₁, prior to the first path gap 3712.

Dynamic Energy Adjustment

Referring again to FIG. 3A through FIG. 38, the energy of the treatmentbeam 269 is controllable using the step of beam alteration 3426. As theapplied voltage of the driving radio frequency field 3740 is optionallyvaried by less than 500, 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2, or 1 volt and theapplied phase shift is optionally in the range of plus or minus any of:90, 45, 25, 10, 5, 2, or 1 percent of a period of the radio frequency,small changes in the energy of the treatment beam 269 are achievable inreal time. For example, the achieved energy of the treatment beam in therange of 30 to 330 MeV is adjustable at a level of less than 5, 2, 1,0.5, 0.1, 0.05, or 0.01 MeV using the beam adjustment system 3520. Thus,the treatment beam 269 is optionally scanned along the z-axis and/oralong a z-axis containing vector within the tumor 220 using the step ofbeam alteration 3522, described supra. Further, any imaging process ofthe tumor and/or the current position of the treatment beam 269, such asthe positron emission tracking system, is optionally used as a dynamicfeedback to the main controller 110 and/or the beam adjustment system3520 to make one or more fine or sub-MeV adjustments of an appliedenergy of the treatment beam 269 with or without interrupting beamoutput, such as with use of the accelerator system 131, dumping the beam3514, and/or loading the ring 124.

Tumor Targeting

Targeting the tumor 210, in addition to z-axis energy control of thetreatment beam 269, involves scanning the charged particle beamtransport path 268 along the x/y-plane. Scanning the charged particlebeam transport path is accomplished using a first square dipole magnetto deflect the charged particle beam path 268 in a first direction, suchas along the x-axis, and a second square dipole magnet, in series withthe first square dipole magnet, to deflect the charged particle beampath 268 in a second direction. However, because the beam is deflectedby the first square dipole magnet before it arrives at the second squaredipole magnet, a second pole gap of the second magnet must necessarilybe larger than a minimum size of a first pole gap of the first squaredipole magnet to accommodate the scanned beam. An increased size ofmagnetic inductance of the second square dipole magnet limits speed atwhich current is passed through the magnet, which limits scanning speedof the second square dipole magnet and consequently limits how quicklythe beam can be scanned. Further, physically bulky magnets require morepower, require more cooling, and add length to the charged particle beamtransport path, which decreases accuracy targeting the treatment beam269. A single-origin scanner, described infra, eliminates the secondslower square dipole magnet, dramatically speeding up the scanning timeof the system and simultaneously reducing its longitudinal size, allwhile maintaining symmetry in the x-scan direction and the y-scandirection.

Referring now to FIGS. 39(A-D) a single magnet of a double dipolescanning system 3900 is described, where multiple uses of the singlemagnet in the double dipole scanning system is subsequently described,FIGS. 39(E-H).

Referring now to FIG. 39A, the double dipole scanning system 3900 or thedouble dipole magnet scanning system circumferentially encloses alongitudinal path of an expanding cross-section 3910 of the chargedparticle beam transport path 268 from an entry side 3915 of the doubledipole scanning system 3900 to an exit side 3916 of the double dipolescanning system 3900, as a function of travel along the z-axis.

Still referring to FIG. 39A, a magnetic flux return element 3920 isdescribed. Generally, the magnetic flux return element 3920 comprises ayoke or base return element, such as steel, for carrying a magneticfield with a first inner surface 3925 and a magnet core 3927. Asillustrated, the magnet core 3927 has a second inner surface 3929 and/orcross-section shape that: matches a side of the expanding cross-sectionof the expanding cross-section 3910 of the charged particle beamtransport path 268 from an entry side 3915 of the double dipole scanningsystem 3900, along the z-axis of the charged particle beam transportpath 268, to an exit side 3916 of the double dipole scanning system 3900and/or has a trapezoid shape/a trapezoidal prism geometry. Magnetwindings 3930, not illustrated in FIG. 39A for clarity of presentationand further described infra, wrap longitudinally around the magnet core3927.

Referring now to FIG. 39B, a magnet winding 3930 or magnet coil isfurther described. Generally, the magnet winding 3930 comprises anycross-section shape, such as round, square, or rectangular. Optionallyand preferably, the magnet winding 3930 comprises a longitudinal plenum3939 or path and/or is a hollow core inductor, such as for internal flowof a coolant. Herein, a winding, of the magnet winding 3930, using witha longitudinal internal path is referred to as a hollow core winding.

Referring now to FIG. 39C, windings of the double dipole scanning system3900 are described. Optionally and preferably the windings compriselayers of trapezoidal windings 3940 around the magnet core 3927. A firstwinding layer 3942, a second winding layer 3944, a third winding layer3946, and a fourth winding layer 3948 of the trapezoidal windings 3940are illustrated, where the winding comprise n layers, where n is apositive integer of at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.

Referring now to FIG. 39D, the rounded corner trapezoidal windings 3940are further described. Here, the magnetic flux return element 3920 isillustrated with the magnet core 3927 extending from the first innersurface 3925 of the magnet flux return element 3920 to the second innersurface 3929 of the magnet core 3927 proximate the charged particle beamtransport path 268. The trapezoidal windings 3940 form layers fromproximate the first inner surface 3925 to proximate the second innersurface 3929, which is adjacent to the longitudinal path of an expandingcross-section 3910 of the charged particle beam transport path 268.Optionally, the trapezoidal windings 3940 comprise multiple, optionallyelectrically parallel, windings to facilitate cooling. A first winding3932 of the trapezoidal windings 3940 is illustrated having threewinding turns in a single winding layer, the first winding layer 3942. Asecond winding 3934 of the trapezoidal windings 3940 is illustratedhaving winding turns in multiple winding layers, the first winding layer3942, the second winding layer 3944, and the third winding layer 3946. Athird winding 3936 of the trapezoidal windings 3940 is illustratedhaving multiple winding turns in a single winding layer, the secondwinding layer 3944, and multiple winding turns in a column of windingturns. Generally, the winding turns comprise any three-dimensionalwinding geometry. such as a truncated trapezoidal pyramid and/or atruncated even number sided pyramid. Optionally and preferably,individual windings of multiple windings are configured to remove heatfrom the magnet core 3927 and/or to have accessible input and outputends for coolant flow.

Referring now to FIG. 39E, two truncated pyramid windings 3950 areillustrated, which are examples of the trapezoidal windings 3940 woundaround first and second magnet cores 3927, respectively. Particularly, afirst truncated pyramid winding section 3951 is used as one-half of afirst dipole used to provide a first magnetic field, B₁, used to scan anx-axis of the charged particle beam transport path 268 and secondtruncated pyramid winding section 3952 is used as one-half of a seconddipole used to provide a second magnetic field, B₂, used to scan ay-axis of the charged particle beam transport path 268, as furtherdescribed infra.

Referring now to FIG. 39F, four truncated pyramid windings 3950 areillustrated pivoted away from the central charged particle beamtransport path 268. As illustrated, the first truncated pyramid windingsection 3951 and a third truncated pyramid section 3953 form oppositesides of the first dipole used to provide the first magnetic field, B₁,used to scan the x-axis of the charged particle beam transport path 268and the second truncated pyramid winding section 3952 and a fourthtruncated pyramid section 3954 form opposite sides of the second dipoleused to provide the second magnetic field, B₂, used to scan the y-axisof the charged particle beam transport path 268. Herein, for clarity ofpresentation and without loss of generality, the first truncated pyramidwinding section 3951, the second truncated pyramid winding section 3952,the third truncated pyramid winding section 3953, and the fourthtruncated pyramid winding section 3954 are referred to as a bottom coil,left coil, top coil, and right coil, respectively. The first dipole,comprising the first and third truncated pyramid sections 3951, 3953,and the second dipole, comprising the second and fourth truncatedpyramid sections 3952, 3954, combine to form a double dipole. When setat right angles to one another, the double dipole is referred to as anorthogonal double dipole and the system is referred to as the doubledipole magnet scanning system 3900.

Optionally and preferably, the four truncated pyramid windings are ofthe same design for ease of manufacturing and control.

Referring now to FIG. 39G, the double dipole scanning system 3900 isillustrated with four truncated pyramid sections respectively attachedto four magnet cores and base sections, which forms two dipole scanningsystems operating on the same volume, line segment, and/or point of thecharged particle beam transport path 268. Particularly, a first magnetdipole section 3921 and a third magnet dipole section 3923 are used informing the first magnetic field, B₁, used to scan the x-axis and asecond magnet dipole section 3922 and a fourth magnet dipole section3924 are used in forming the second magnetic field, B₂, used to scan they-axis where the base metallic sections of the four magnet dipolesections are jointly used to form return yokes of the first and secondmagnetic fields, B₁ and B₂, which are representatively illustrated. Asillustrated, the charged particle beam transport path 268 travelsthrough the entrance side 3915 of the expanding section 3910 of a beampath chamber and emerges out of the illustration through the exit side3916 of the double dipole scanning system 3900.

Referring now to FIG. 39H, a perspective view of the beam path chamber3910 is illustrated, which is circumferentially surrounded by the firstthrough fourth truncated pyramid winding sections 3951-3954, notillustrated for clarity of presentation. The exit side 3916 isoptionally and preferably at least 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 200, 500, or1000 percent larger in terms of length, width, and/or area than theentrance side 3915.

Cooling

Referring now to FIG. 39I, windings of an optional double dipole coolingsystem 3960 are described. For clarity of presentation, the trapezoidalwindings 3940 around the magnet core 3927 are illustrated, in anx/y-plane cross-section, for one side of one-half of a dipole sectionrelative to the magnet core 3927 for the dipole section. Again forclarity of presentation, the trapezoidal windings 3940 along a firstside 3965 of the magnet core 3927 are illustrated and only a subset ofthe trapezoidal windings 3940 are illustrated along a second side 3966of the magnet core 3927. Thus, as illustrated, a first turn of a firstwinding 3961 passes along the first side 3965 of the magnet core 3927through section a₁ and returns along the second side 3966 of the magnetcore through section a₂ before returning in a second turn throughsection b₁, completing the second turn through section b₂, andinitiating a third turn in section c₁. Thus, the dotted lines in FIG.39I refer to the progression of turns in the given winding. Generally, nturns are used for a winding, where n is positive integer that isoptionally different for each winding, as further described infra.

Still referring to FIG. 39I, cooling of the windings in the doubledipole cooling system 3960 is described. One or more of the trapezoidalwindings 3940 of the double dipole cooling system 3960 comprises ahollow core winding, such as illustrated in FIG. 39B. Referring still toFIG. 39I, the magnet coil is illustrated with a set of windings 3967: afirst winding 3961, a second winding 3962, a third winding 3963, and afourth winding 3964. Optionally and preferably, a coolant is pumpedthrough the longitudinal plenum 3939 or hollow core of each winding. Thecoolant is moved from a reservoir and/or circulated through the set ofwindings using a pump and typically comprises a heat exchange elementoutside of the magnet coil. Generally, any number of hollow corewindings are used in the magnet coil.

Still referring to FIG. 39I, current flow carried by the windings in thedouble dipole cooling system 3960 is described. Optionally andpreferably, the set of windings 3967 are wound electrically in parallel.A length of a turn in a winding increases with radial distance from themagnet core 3927. Thus, to maintain a uniform length of each winding inthe set of windings 3967, a differing number of turns for one or more ofthe individual windings in the set of windings 3967 is optionally andpreferably used. The uniform length of the windings is used for controlof current and voltage. Generally, a first length of a one winding iswithin 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, or 20 percent of a length of a another winding inthe set of windings 3967 and/or all windings within the set of windings3967 comprise individual lengths within 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, or 20 percent ofa mean length of the windings in the set of windings 3927.

Still referring to FIG. 39I, winding paths of the set of windings 3967are described. As illustrated, the first winding 3961 contains twelveturns and has a first length matching a second length of the secondwinding 3962 containing eight turns as a second mean radius of the turnsin the second winding 3962 is greater than a first mean radius of turnsin the first winding 3961. As illustrated, the third winding 3963 andthe fourth winding 3964, having lengths matching the first length andsecond length, are illustrated with ten turns each. Each winding of theset of windings 3967 comprises a coolant entrance and a coolant exit,connected to the pump, along an outside perimeter of a volume of thewindings in the trapezoidal windings 3940. Paths of individual windingsin the set of windings are optionally wound: at one or more x-axisdistances from the magnet core 3927 and/or along one or more y-axislayers of the set of layers. Generally, turns of a winding comprises anywinding path around the magnet core 3927.

Generally, the dual dipole scanning system:

-   -   forms a single four poled dual axis scanner;    -   uses dipoles arranged in a scanning quadrupole configuration;    -   comprises four identical modular quadrants bolted together to        form a steering quadrupole;    -   is optionally mounted in front of a smaller focusing quadrupole;    -   uses top and bottom quadrants steering in the x-direction and        left and right quadrants providing steering in the y-direction;    -   allows simultaneous lateral steering in both the x-direction and        the y-direction at the same point in space;    -   includes a pole tapered smaller at the entrance end and wider at        the exit end of the scanner, which allows the pole gap to be        only as wide as it needs to be, which allows a less intense        magnetic field reducing the electric current to drive the coil        and a smaller coil with lower inductance for faster scanning;    -   uses dipoles powered separately, but the power supplies are        optionally identical;    -   optionally independently power supplies are used to provide        unequal current and/or voltage profiles as a function of time        for each coil allowing for magnetic field configurations more        complicated than two simple dipole fields superimposed;    -   optionally uses rounded steel faces of the quadrants and/or        poles to yield a constant pathlength through the magnetic        scanner at any deflection angle;    -   optionally uses poles wrapped with hollow core        water/liquid-cooled copper conductors that form the coils of the        magnet;    -   has a trumpet or truncated pyramidal shape quadrupole in the        direction of the beam, the z-axis, which allows the beam to be        deflected over the entire angular volume while utilizing the        least amount of longitudinal space;    -   has a tapered shape reducing the magnetic volume and field        strength necessary to deflect the beam within a given volume;    -   simplifies the software controlling beam scanning, which        previously had to compensate for a different beam origin at        every spot; and/or    -   results in a very low inductance system, and therefore a very        high scanning speed, which improves treatment times in spot-dose        systems and results in substantial time savings for continuous        dosing systems.

Still yet another embodiment includes any combination and/or permutationof any of the elements described herein.

The main controller, a localized communication apparatus, and/or asystem for communication of information optionally comprises one or moresubsystems stored on a client. The client is a computing platformconfigured to act as a client device or other computing device, such asa computer, personal computer, a digital media device, and/or a personaldigital assistant. The client comprises a processor that is optionallycoupled to one or more internal or external input device, such as amouse, a keyboard, a display device, a voice recognition system, amotion recognition system, or the like. The processor is alsocommunicatively coupled to an output device, such as a display screen ordata link to display or send data and/or processed information,respectively. In one embodiment, the communication apparatus is theprocessor. In another embodiment, the communication apparatus is a setof instructions stored in memory that is carried out by the processor.

The client includes a computer-readable storage medium, such as memory.The memory includes, but is not limited to, an electronic, optical,magnetic, or another storage or transmission data storage medium capableof coupling to a processor, such as a processor in communication with atouch-sensitive input device linked to computer-readable instructions.Other examples of suitable media include, for example, a flash drive, aCD-ROM, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), anapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a DVD, magnetic disk, anoptical disk, and/or a memory chip. The processor executes a set ofcomputer-executable program code instructions stored in the memory. Theinstructions may comprise code from any computer-programming language,including, for example, C originally of Bell Laboratories, C++, C#,Visual Basic® (Microsoft, Redmond, Wash.), Matlab® (MathWorks, Natick,Mass.), Java® (Oracle Corporation, Redwood City, Calif.), andJavaScript® (Oracle Corporation, Redwood City, Calif.).

Herein, any number, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, is optionally more than thenumber, less than the number, or within 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, or 50 percentof the number.

Herein, an element and/or object is optionally manually and/ormechanically moved, such as along a guiding element, with a motor,and/or under control of the main controller.

The particular implementations shown and described are illustrative ofthe invention and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limitthe scope of the present invention in any way. Indeed, for the sake ofbrevity, conventional manufacturing, connection, preparation, and otherfunctional aspects of the system may not be described in detail.Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures areintended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physicalcouplings between the various elements. Many alternative or additionalfunctional relationships or physical connections may be present in apractical system.

In the foregoing description, the invention has been described withreference to specific exemplary embodiments; however, it will beappreciated that various modifications and changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention as set forth herein.The description and figures are to be regarded in an illustrativemanner, rather than a restrictive one and all such modifications areintended to be included within the scope of the present invention.Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined by thegeneric embodiments described herein and their legal equivalents ratherthan by merely the specific examples described above. For example, thesteps recited in any method or process embodiment may be executed in anyorder and are not limited to the explicit order presented in thespecific examples. Additionally, the components and/or elements recitedin any apparatus embodiment may be assembled or otherwise operationallyconfigured in a variety of permutations to produce substantially thesame result as the present invention and are accordingly not limited tothe specific configuration recited in the specific examples.

Benefits, other advantages and solutions to problems have been describedabove with regard to particular embodiments; however, any benefit,advantage, solution to problems or any element that may cause anyparticular benefit, advantage or solution to occur or to become morepronounced are not to be construed as critical, required or essentialfeatures or components.

As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any variationthereof, are intended to reference a non-exclusive inclusion, such thata process, method, article, composition or apparatus that comprises alist of elements does not include only those elements recited, but mayalso include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to suchprocess, method, article, composition or apparatus. Other combinationsand/or modifications of the above-described structures, arrangements,applications, proportions, elements, materials or components used in thepractice of the present invention, in addition to those not specificallyrecited, may be varied or otherwise particularly adapted to specificenvironments, manufacturing specifications, design parameters or otheroperating requirements without departing from the general principles ofthe same.

Although the invention has been described herein with reference tocertain preferred embodiments, one skilled in the art will readilyappreciate that other applications may be substituted for those setforth herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. Accordingly, the invention should only be limited by theClaims included below.

1. An apparatus for steering positively charged particles in a cancertherapy system, comprising: a double dipole magnet system, comprising: afirst dipole magnet system; a second dipole magnet system; and a gap, acommon length of the gap along a path of the positively chargedparticles both: (1) within said first dipole magnet system and (2)within said second dipole magnet system, said gap comprising at leastten progressively increased x/y-plane cross-section areas from anentrance area into said double dipole magnet system to an exit area ofsaid double dipole magnet system, the x/y-plane perpendicular to az-axis from a center of the entrance area to a center of the exit area.2. The apparatus of claim 1, said first dipole magnet system furthercomprising: a first magnet core of a first magnet half of said firstdipole magnet system, said first magnet core comprising a first gapsurface proximate the gap and a set of winding surfaces; and a first setof windings wound longitudinally around said first magnet core alongsaid set of winding surfaces.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, said firstset of windings further comprising: a first set of hollow core windings,said first set of hollow core windings comprising: a first windingcomprising m turns, said m turns comprising a first mean distance fromsaid first magnet core; and a second winding comprising n turns, said nturns comprising a second mean distance from said first magnet core, thesecond distance greater than the first distance, wherein m>n, wherein mand n comprise positive integers.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, saidfirst set of hollow core windings further comprising: an electricallyparallel connection to a first power supply.
 5. The apparatus of claim3, further comprising: a pump configured to pump a coolant through saidfirst set of hollow core windings.
 6. The apparatus of claim 2, saidfirst gap surface further comprising: a trapezoid shape.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 2, the gap comprising: a truncated rectangularpyramid gap volume comprising an entrance rectangle and an exitrectangle connected by four trapezoid gap sides.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 7, said first magnet core further comprising: a truncatedrectangular pyramid core comprising a top rectangle and a base rectangleconnected by four trapezoid core sides.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8,said top rectangle coplanar with said entrance rectangle.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 2, the gap comprising: a truncated square pyramid gapcomprising an entrance square and an exit square connected by fourtrapezoid shape gap sides.
 11. The apparatus of claim 2, furthercomprising: a first power supply electrically connected to said firstdipole and configured to steer the positively charged particles along afirst axis of the x/y-plane during use; a second power supplyelectrically connected to said second dipole and configured to steer thepositively charged particles along a second axis of the x/y-plane duringuse.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a chargedparticle beam path from a synchrotron to the gap.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 12, said gap further comprising: a first trapezoid shape surfaceand a second trapezoid shape surface respectively facing: (1) said firstmagnet core of said first half of said first dipole magnet system and(2) a second magnet core of a second half of said first dipole magnetsystem; and a third trapezoid shape surface and a fourth trapezoid shapesurface respectively facing first and second cores of said second dipolemagnet system.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, said first set of windingsfurther comprising: a first hollow core winding comprising more turnsthan a second hollow core winding.
 15. A method for steering positivelycharged particles in a cancer therapy system, comprising the steps of:providing a double dipole magnet system, comprising: a first dipolemagnet system; a second dipole magnet system; and a gap comprising acommon gap length along a path of the positively charged particles both:(1) within said first dipole magnet system and (2) within said seconddipole magnet system, said gap comprising at least ten progressivelyincreasing x/y-plane cross-section areas, separated from each other bygreater than one millimeter, from an entrance area into said doubledipole magnet system to an exit area of said double dipole magnetsystem, the x/y-plane perpendicular to a z-axis from a center of theentrance area to a center of the exit area; steering the positivelycharged particles along a first axis of the x/y-plane using said firstdipole magnet system; and scanning the positively charged particlesalong a second axis of the x/y-plane using said second dipole magnetsystem.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:carrying a current from a power supply using a first set of windingswound longitudinally around a first magnet core along a set of windingsurfaces, said first magnet core comprising a first magnet half of saidfirst dipole magnet system, said set of winding surfaces comprisingfaces of a truncated rectangular pyramid.
 17. The method of claim 16,further comprising the step of: cooling said first dipole magnet using afluid flowing through a first set of hollow core windings of said firstset of windings, said first set of hollow core windings comprising: afirst winding comprising m turns, said m turns comprising a first meandistance from said first magnet core; and a second winding comprising nturns, said n turns comprising a second mean distance from said firstmagnet core, the second distance greater than the first distance,wherein m>n.
 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:transporting the positively charged particles from a synchrotron throughthe gap, the gap length centered between: (1) first and second halves ofsaid first dipole magnet system and (2) first and second sides of saidsecond dipole magnet system.
 19. The method of claim 16, the gapcomprising a truncated rectangular pyramid volume comprising a firstrectangular entrance side, a second rectangular exit side, and fourtrapezoid shaped sides, said first rectangular entrance side at leastten percent smaller than said second rectangular exit side.
 20. Themethod of claim 19, further comprising the step of: treating a tumor ofa patient using the charged particles, the charged particles comprisingat least one of: H⁺; C⁴⁺; and C⁶⁺.